A report published by the Lancet Psychiatry journal, funded by the NHS and the government, found that self-harm has risen across both sexes and all age groups since 2000. In the population as a whole it almost trebled from 2.4% to 6.4% in 2014. One in five girls and young women in England aged 16 to 24 have cut, burned or poisoned themselves, according to the research, which mental health experts said was very worrying. This opinion piece discusses some of the issues surrounding these findings. NHS England has pledged to greatly increase the availability of mental health care, especially for young people and those of any age undergoing a mental health crisis.
