Patients in Denmark face record waiting times for psychiatric help amid growing demand

Patients in Denmark are facing increasing waiting times for psychiatric help, with some waiting for years due to a shortage of psychiatrists and growing demand for mental health services. Recent data reveals that non-urgent patients wait an average of 103.6 weeks—almost two years—for appointments. This figure has been rising steadily; the average wait was 80 weeks last year and just 23.6 weeks in 2018.

As acute cases are prioritized, patients who secure appointments in 2023 reported an average wait of 20 weeks from their referral to their first consultation, which is also an increase from the 18-week average recorded in 2022.

Health Minister Sophie Løhde acknowledges the critical situation, stating, “There is no doubt that we have too long waiting times in psychiatry.” The government plans to invest heavily in mental health services, committing over 4 billion kroner (approximately $570 million) through 2030 to enhance psychiatric care and reduce waiting times. This funding was established in a broad political agreement in 2022.

However, there have been no significant improvements in wait times thus far. Psychiatrists are required to report estimated waiting times, which currently range from three weeks to over 260 weeks across the country. Løhde emphasized that any progress will take time due to years of underfunding in the psychiatric sector.

Marianne Skjold, director of the Psychiatry Foundation, expressed her concern about the lack of urgency in addressing these issues, calling the current trend “completely unacceptable.” She stated that there is no excuse for the ongoing decline in psychiatric care access.