Nearly £11M extra will be needed each year in Somerset to bring mental health funding up to national levels, according to health bosses.

Somerset has the fourth-lowest spend on mental health in the whole of England, according to a study by the mental health charity Mind.

The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – which decides where the county’s health resources are allocated – has said there has been an “historic underinvestment” in mental health services across the county.

To address the problem, the CCG is working on new ways of identifying mental health issues early and pointing people to the appropriate services using existing funding.

The issue was discussed by the Somerset health and well-being board in Taunton on Thursday morning (July 11).

Dr Alex Murray, a GP based at the East Quay Medical Centre in Bridgwater, said more work was needed on preventing small-scale mental health problems from escalating, in order to make the best use of existing resources.

She said: “It’s not just about treating people when they are sick, but stopping them from getting sick in the first place.

“There is increased demand and increasing complexity of people presenting with mental health needs. Current demand outstrips capacity within our existing service models.

“There is a growing trend of increasing non-elective and emergency attendances at hospitals by individuals with acute mental health needs.

“Somerset has a higher rate of suicides for people known and not known to mental health services than elsewhere in the country.”

According to the Mind study, Somerset CCG spends just under £140 per head on mental health each year – around £82M in total, or just over 11 per cent of the total budget for NHS services in the country.

This compares favourably with Gloucestershire (£137 per head per year) and is around the same as Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (£141.21).

However, the spending is lower than the levels spent by CCGs in Dorset (£195.21), Devon (£193.30) and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (£172.85).

Ms Murray estimated the CCG would have to invest an additional £10.7M to meet the national average for mental health investment across England.

She said: “There has been historic underinvestment in mental health services in Somerset compared to other comparable localities.”

Research by the King’s Fund in 2017 suggests that people with “severe” mental health illnesses live up to 20 years less than the general population, as well as being more prone to liver disease, respiratory disease, cancer or cardiovascular problems.

To address these problems with existing funding levels, the CCG will be rolling out changes to the way in which mental health services are delivered, as part of the wider ‘Fit For My Future’ programme.

People with mild mental health needs can self-refer to community resources and ‘talking cafes’ where support can be offered.

Those with more serious needs can access acute treatment and inpatient beds if needed, with the Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust coordinating many of the services being provided.

As part of a pilot scheme, 25 schools across the county will be given access to support workers who can identify pupils’ needs at a young age and refer them as needed.

Dr Murray said: “This new initiative is very exciting, and will make a huge difference to the lives of young people across Somerset.

“By strengthening the links between schools and mental health services we can ensure children, parents and teachers know how and when to access vital support at the right time for young people.”

She added recruitment within the mental health sector of the NHS was proving to be successful, with health professionals from other parts of the West Country seeking to come on board.

She said: “We have people from Devon, Dorset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire asking us if they can come and work with us.”