Pandemic and cost-of-living crisis ‘risk pushing people to the brink’

Dr Sarah Hughes says services need to get better at catching people before their mental health deteriorates

(PA) (PA Archive)

The country’s mental health is probably the worst it has ever been – with the cost-of-living crisis, aftermath of the Covid pandemic and global instability pushing people to the brink, the head of a major charity has warned.

Dr Sarah Hughes, who became chief executive of Mind in January, said the charity was really worried about the impact the cost-of-living crisis will have on people’s mental health.

Speaking to the PA news agency in her first interview since taking over, Dr Hughes said that despite the nation’s mental health suffering, the issue has fallen down the political agenda.