HEALTH chiefs said they have managed to reduce the average waiting time for ‘talking therapies’ in Pennine Lancashire to about three weeks.

Over the last decade, the Lancashire Telegraph has repeatedly highlighted the long waiting times for treatments such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.

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In 2011, we reported how nearly 250 patients in Burnley and Pendle had waited more than six months for psychological therapies, while commissioners stepped in last year to reduce the 12 month wait in Blackburn with Darwen.

But bosses at Lancashire Care said support from commissioners and a national project team had helped improve the services.

It comes as the Government announced a new maximum 18-week waiting target for mental health patients, aimed at giving psychological problems the same urgency as physical conditions.

The new target is set to come into force next year, and should ensure those facing the longest waits are seen quicker.

Latest figures published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, for Quarter four of 2013/14, showed more than 40 per cent of patients in Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire had waited at least 90 days for their first assessment, compared to the national average of less than 20 per cent.

The figures did not provide details of the waits that exceeded 90 days, which could be affected by the new target, but the Lancashire Telegraph has submitted a request to obtain this information.

A spokesman for Lancashire Care said: “The trust is pleased to report that it has made significant improvements in waiting times for mental health assessments.

“Earlier this year we invited the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) project team to review our current systems and processes for the IAPT services we provide.

“Following the visit an action plan was put in place to address waiting times and the trust has also continued to work in partnership with its commissioners to improve the quality and accuracy of the data recorded.

“Currently, the average waiting time for a psychological wellbeing practitioner assessment in East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen is three weeks and the trust remains committed to achieving its targets and reducing waiting times.”