Minister of Health, Wes Streetingreportedly ordered a clinical review of mental illness diagnoses.
Streeting is believed to be concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people claiming sickness benefits due to diagnoses of mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reports.
He has asked leading experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become “overly pathologised”, the newspaper reports, as he tries to cope with the 4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or disability benefits.
This figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019, while the number of young people aged 16 to 34 out of work with long-term illness due to mental illness has reportedly risen rapidly over the same period.
Streeting told the Times that he “knows from personal experience how devastating the consequences can be for people with poor mental health, ADHD or autism who fail to get a diagnosis or the right support.”
He added: “I also know from talking to doctors how the number of diagnoses of these conditions is rising sharply.
“We need to look at this through a strictly clinical lens to gain an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism and ADHD services.
“This is the only way to ensure that everyone has timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.”
The review, expected to be launched on Thursday, will be led by Professor Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist at University College London who specializes in children's mental health, with Sir Simon Wessely, former president of the Royal College of Psychiatry, serving as vice-chair.
Fonagy told the Times: “We will take a close look at the evidence – from research, from people with lived experience and from clinicians working on the frontline of mental health, autism and ADHD services – to provide an informed understanding of what is driving growing demand.”
The move comes as ministers grapple with the growing social security bill.
Earlier this year, ministers were forced to scrap plans to reform disability benefits, including for people with mental health conditions, in the face of Labor opposition.
Keir Starmer signaled on Monday that the government would make a new push for welfare reform.
He said, “We have to change this; we must also face the reality that our welfare state is pushing people not only into poverty, but also out of work.”
PA Media contributed to this report
