Adults across Surrey and North-East Hampshire will get faster access to specialist NHS mental health support after a £2 million investment by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The Trust is recruiting an additional 30 psychologists and psychological therapists to join community mental health teams, which support adults with more complex mental health needs.
The expansion will increase the community psychology workforce by 25 per cent to more than 150 staff, helping the Trust to support more people and meet growing demand. Waiting times are expected to fall to 18 weeks once the increased workforce is in place.
Graham Wareham, Chief Executive of Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We know people have the best chance of improving their mental health when they can access the right support early. Demand for specialist psychological support has grown, with more people needing help for complex mental health problems.
"This investment will help us cut waiting times and make sure more people can get the care they need, closer to home, at the right time."
Expanding the psychology workforce is part of the Trust's wider plan to bring more specialist mental health support into local communities, helping people get support earlier and reducing the risk of their needs becoming more complex.
Specialist psychological support helps people to better understand their mental health, develop ways to manage difficult experiences and build the skills they need to live well.
Applications are open for a range of specialist roles. Successful applicants will join teams over the coming months. To find out more about psychology vacancies at our Trust, visit: Psychology careers at SABP : Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust