Cuts to adult mental health services in England have started damaging the quality of care given to patients, a report suggests.
The review by the King’s Fund think tank found there was now “widespread evidence of poor quality care”.
Researchers linked this to the use of unproven, cheaper services in a bid to balance the books.
One mental health charity says “disappearing” services are putting lives at risk.
But the government said the amount of money being made available for mental health had been increased overall.
Pressure to free up mental health beds may be leaving vulnerable people at risk, says a watchdog.
Healthwatch England put in a Freedom of Information request and found psychiatric patients now spend six fewer days in hospital than in 2012-13.
The data, from 32 mental health trusts, shows average number of “bed days” per patient per year has fallen by 10%.
Healthwatch England says some patients are being discharged too early and without enough support.
Chairwoman Anna Bradley said the findings reflect a troubling picture where patients discharged from hospital often struggle to access crisis treatment at home.
