Trust cuts longest waits for community mental health support by almost half

The number of people waiting more than 38 weeks for community mental health support in Kent and Medway has fallen by 47% since January, with 144 fewer people now facing the longest waits for care.

Figures show the number of people waiting more than 38 weeks reduced from 305 in January 2026 to 161 in July 2026. The improvement follows targeted work by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust to reduce waiting times and improve access to support.

Julie Kirby, Acting Chief Nurse at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, said: "We know waiting for mental health support can have a significant impact on people and their families. People have told us they want quicker access to care and a simpler experience when moving between services, which is why reducing our longest waits has been a major focus for us.

"While we know there is more to do, we are pleased that 144 fewer people are now waiting more than 38 weeks for support than at the start of the year.

"We've achieved this by actively reviewing waiting lists, improving how people move through services and making sure people are directed to the right support as quickly as possible. Our focus now is on going further, making community mental health care easier to access, more joined up around people's needs and available closer to home."

The improvement follows a sustained programme of work across community mental health services, including regular reviews of waiting lists, improvements to care pathways and stronger oversight of access to services.

The trust has also strengthened the way it manages waiting lists to ensure people waiting the longest are identified and reviewed regularly, helping teams offer the most appropriate support as quickly as possible.

Alongside reducing waiting times, the trust is working with NHS, local authority and voluntary sector partners across Kent and Medway to make mental health support easier to access and better connected around people's needs.

While progress is encouraging, reducing waits further remains a key priority. The trust continues to work with staff, people who use services and partners to identify opportunities to improve access to care and ensure support is as timely and effective as possible.

This work supports the ambitions set out in the trust's five-year strategy, Doing well together, including making mental health care easier to access, easier to navigate and more consistent for people across Kent and Medway.