How long is the wait for NHS talking therapies (counselling) in NHS Black Country ICB?

In February 2026, the mean wait from referral to a first NHS Talking Therapies treatment appointment in NHS Black Country ICB was 49.2 days, and 69.4% of people started treatment within 6 weeks of referral — 19.2 percentage points below the England average. Figures are official NHS England Talking Therapies statistics, as of February 2026.

What percentage of people in NHS Black Country ICB start NHS therapy within 6 weeks?

69.4% of people in NHS Black Country ICB who finished a course of treatment had waited 6 weeks or less to start it as of February 2026. The NHS national standard is 75% within 6 weeks, so this area is below the 6-week access standard. 88.6% started within 18 weeks.

What is the NHS talking therapies recovery rate in NHS Black Country ICB?

In NHS Black Country ICB, 44.1% of people who finished a course of NHS Talking Therapies reliably recovered, and 46.0% moved to recovery as of February 2026. The NHS recovery standard is 50%. This is the area's average outcome across all people treated, not a prediction for any individual.

What is the Gera Mental Health Access Index for NHS Black Country ICB?

The Gera Mental Health Access Index (GMHAI) for NHS Black Country ICB is 62 out of 100 as of February 2026 — much harder access than average. The index combines the mean wait against the 6-week (42-day) standard, the reliable-recovery shortfall, and the gap below full 6-week access, each scored 0–100 and averaged. Higher means harder access. It is computed transparently from the real NHS Talking Therapies figures on this page.

Can I get therapy faster than the NHS wait in NHS Black Country ICB?

Many people shorten the wait by speaking to a UK-registered therapist privately. With the mean NHS wait in NHS Black Country ICB at 49.2 days, a GeraClinic mental health consultation can usually be arranged within days, while you keep your place on the NHS list. You can also still self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies directly.

GeraClinic / NHS mental health waiting times / NHS Black Country ICB

NHS Black Country ICB: NHS Talking Therapies Waiting Times

In February 2026, the mean wait for a first NHS Talking Therapies (mental health) appointment in NHS Black Country ICB was 49.2 days, with 69.4% of people starting treatment within 6 weeks — 19.2 percentage points below the England average. Figures are official NHS England Talking Therapies data.

Reference period: February 2026(NHS England Talking Therapies, published 16 April 2026) · updated monthly · Open Government Licence v3.0 · England

How long is the NHS therapy waiting time in NHS Black Country ICB?

As of February 2026, the mean wait to a first NHS Talking Therapies appointment in NHS Black Country ICB was 49.2 days, with 69.4% of people starting treatment within 6 weeks of referral and 44.1% reliably recovering, per NHS England Talking Therapies data published 16 April 2026. Gera re-dates this monthly.

Source:NHS England — NHS Talking Therapies Monthly Statistics (IAPT)·as of February 2026updated monthly (last: 18 June 2026)

Gera Mental Health Access Index62 / 100NHS Black Country ICB — much harder access than averageHow this index is calculated

The GMHAI averages three real components for this ICB: wait load (49.2 days vs the 42-day six-week standard = 100), reliable-recovery shortfall (44.1% → 56), and six-week access gap (69.4% → 31). Each is scored 0–100; higher means harder access.

NHS Talking Therapies figures for NHS Black Country ICB (February 2026)
Measure	NHS Black Country ICB	What it means
Referrals received	3,025	People referred to NHS Talking Therapies this month
Mean wait to first appointment	49.2 days	Average referral-to-first-treatment wait
Started treatment within 6 weeks	69.4%	NHS standard: 75% within 6 weeks
Started treatment within 18 weeks	88.6%	NHS standard: 95% within 18 weeks
Reliable recovery rate	44.1%	NHS recovery standard: 50% (area average, not individual)
Gera Mental Health Access Index	62 / 100	much harder access than average (higher = worse)

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In NHS Black Country ICB, the latest NHS Talking Therapies data shows a mean wait of 49.2 days to a first treatment appointment, with 69.4% of people starting within 6 weeks — 19.2 percentage points below the England average.

Mean wait to first appt

49.2 days

Started within 6 weeks

69.4%

Standard 75%

Gera MH Access Index

62 / 100

much harder access than average

44.1% of people who finished treatment in this area reliably recovered (England 47.3%). These are area averages, not a prediction of your own wait or outcome.

NHS Black Country ICB is at 69.4% six-week access — below the NHS 75% standard. You can speak to a UK-registered therapist with GeraClinic this week and keep your place on the NHS list.

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Sorted by Gera Mental Health Access Index (hardest access first).

NHS Black Country ICB NHS therapy waiting times: FAQs

How long is the wait for NHS talking therapies (counselling) in NHS Black Country ICB?: In February 2026, the mean wait from referral to a first NHS Talking Therapies treatment appointment in NHS Black Country ICB was 49.2 days, and 69.4% of people started treatment within 6 weeks of referral — 19.2 percentage points below the England average. Figures are official NHS England Talking Therapies statistics, as of February 2026.
What percentage of people in NHS Black Country ICB start NHS therapy within 6 weeks?: 69.4% of people in NHS Black Country ICB who finished a course of treatment had waited 6 weeks or less to start it as of February 2026. The NHS national standard is 75% within 6 weeks, so this area is below the 6-week access standard. 88.6% started within 18 weeks.
What is the NHS talking therapies recovery rate in NHS Black Country ICB?: In NHS Black Country ICB, 44.1% of people who finished a course of NHS Talking Therapies reliably recovered, and 46.0% moved to recovery as of February 2026. The NHS recovery standard is 50%. This is the area's average outcome across all people treated, not a prediction for any individual.
What is the Gera Mental Health Access Index for NHS Black Country ICB?: The Gera Mental Health Access Index (GMHAI) for NHS Black Country ICB is 62 out of 100 as of February 2026 — much harder access than average. The index combines the mean wait against the 6-week (42-day) standard, the reliable-recovery shortfall, and the gap below full 6-week access, each scored 0–100 and averaged. Higher means harder access. It is computed transparently from the real NHS Talking Therapies figures on this page.
Can I get therapy faster than the NHS wait in NHS Black Country ICB?: Many people shorten the wait by speaking to a UK-registered therapist privately. With the mean NHS wait in NHS Black Country ICB at 49.2 days, a GeraClinic mental health consultation can usually be arranged within days, while you keep your place on the NHS list. You can also still self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies directly.

Don't want to wait 49.2 days?

NHS Talking Therapies in NHS Black Country ICB averages 49.2 days to a first appointment. GeraClinic can connect you to a UK-registered therapist this week — and you keep your place on the NHS list.

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Methodology

Figures for NHS Black Country ICB are aggregated from the real per-Sub-ICB count rows in NHS England's February 2026 Talking Therapies activity CSV (nhstalkingtherapies_month_feb_2026_activity_performance.csv). Sub-ICBs are summed to their parent ICB and percentages are re-derived from the summed numerators and denominators (the only correct roll-up): six-week access = within-6-week finishers ÷ all finishers; reliable recovery = reliable recoveries ÷ finishers at caseness; the mean wait is the accessing-services-weighted mean. These formulas reproduce the published England headline exactly. The Gera Mental Health Access Index is the equal-weighted mean of three 0–100 sub-scores (wait load, recovery shortfall, six-week access gap) computed from those figures — no estimates or invented numbers. Recovery rates are area averages, not predictions for any individual. Reference period: February 2026.

Contains public sector information published by NHS England and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England — NHS Talking Therapies Monthly Statistics (February 2026, published 16 April 2026). Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This directory is not affiliated with NHS England. If you are in crisis, call 111 (option 2) or 999.