New figures show that the number of calls to NHS 24 for mental health support has soared 580 per cent in four years. A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Scottish Labour found that the number of calls increased from 20,434 in 2019 to 139,008 in 2022.
The newly released data also discovered that the number of calls to the service that were abandoned has risen from 645 in 2019 (3.2%) to 40,836 in 2022 (29.4%). Scottish Labour mental health spokesman Paul Sweeney said the Scottish Government must increase mental health funding to deal with this “unprecedented demand”.
Mr Sweeney said: “The numbers speak for themselves - Scotland is in the grips of a mental health epidemic and people need all the support they can get. The legacy of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis has been challenging for many people’s wellbeing, but an increase in demand for mental health support of this level is alarming.”
