Former footballer Clarke Carlisle has called for a shift towards same-day open access mental health support, arguing that the current system is failing young people. Writing in the Mirror, he highlights findings from the Fonagy review, which he says shows the mental health crisis is very real and on the rise.
Young people feel unheard and dismissed
Carlisle, who has five children aged from six to 27, says young people are genuinely struggling and feel unheard, with their views not respected and their suggestions dismissed. He notes that major life milestones are increasingly being moved further away for them.
He rejects the idea that the increased need for support is due to a 'snowflake generation' or overdiagnosis, instead blaming a blaming culture that labels people as 'NEETS' or 'not resilient'. He says problems are dismissed as not real or a social media fad, leaving many stuck on endless NHS waiting lists.
System not working for young people
Carlisle points to the Milburn interim review, which highlighted that some young people are unable to pursue education or find a career. He says the reviews by Fonagy, Milburn and Timms collectively show the scale of mental health challenges facing millions of adults too.
He criticises the current approach where support only opens with a diagnosis, saying people are left bouncing between services and becoming more unwell. He argues that rationing services and gatekeeping support exacerbates demand rather than managing it.
Open access approach already working
Carlisle says the findings could be used to reimagine the mental health system so that when someone asks for help, they can get it on the same day. He notes that some local Minds in England and Wales are already showing how open access support can work in practice, moving beyond symptoms to see the whole story.
He welcomes the Government's proposals for 100 new community mental health centres and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments, as well as the expansion of Young Futures Hubs. However, he says this open access approach should be extended across the country and to every stage of mental health need.
Carlisle concludes that now is the time to be bold and shift towards a same-day open access approach to meet growing levels of need, urging the government to properly fund mental health schemes and services that work.
