health
population
inequality
Prevalence of severe mental health conditions and musculoskeletal conditions in the Greater West of England
This data insight describes the prevalence of severe mental health conditions and long-term musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions using data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and the General Practice (GP) Patient Survey (GPPS).
Severe mental health conditions include schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses, and are measured as the proportion of patients on GP surgery registers who have been diagnosed with a relevant condition. The data on musculoskeletal conditions are based on self-reported survey responses from people aged 16 and over.
The analysis presents trends over time, comparisons across UK regions, and variation across local authority and district areas.
The Greater West of England is defined here as Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire. Gloucestershire is included at both county and district level. The South West is also shown as a regional comparator, but it is a broader official ITL1 statistical region. It includes the Greater West of England areas as well as wider parts of the South West, including Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. England is used as a national comparator.
1.02%
Prevalence of severe mental health conditions in England, 2024/25
0.96%
Prevalence of severe mental health conditions in the South West, 2024/25
1.16%
Prevalence of severe mental health conditions in London, the highest among UK regions, 2024/25
18.66%
People aged 16+ with long-term musculoskeletal conditions in the South West, 2024
The prevalence of severe mental health conditions in UK regions, 2012/13 to 2024/25
This visualisation shows the prevalence of severe mental health conditions in UK regions between 2012/13 and 2024/25. The prevalence increased across all regions over the period. In England, the rate rose from 0.84% in 2012/13 to 1.02% in 2024/25.
The South West increased from 0.77% in 2012/13 to 0.96% in 2024/25 and remained below the England average throughout the period.
London recorded the highest prevalence throughout the period, increasing from 1.03% in 2012/13 to 1.16% in 2024/25. In 2024/25, prevalence ranged from 0.90% in the East Midlands to 1.16% in London.
The North West also recorded relatively higher values, reaching 1.14% in 2024/25. Relatively low values were recorded in the East Midlands and South East.
A decrease was recorded in 2019/20 in several regions, followed by increases in subsequent years.
The prevalence of severe mental health conditions by local authority in the Greater West of England, 2024/25
This visualisation shows the prevalence of severe mental health conditions across local authority areas within the Greater West of England in 2024/25. Prevalence in the South West is 0.96%, compared to 1.02% in England.
Values range across the local authorities from 0.66% in South Gloucestershire to 1.04% in Bristol. The prevalence in Bath and North East Somerset is 0.97%, Wiltshire 0.88% and Swindon 0.87%.
All areas within the Greater West of England record values below the England average.
Percentage of people reporting long-term musculoskeletal conditions in UK regions, 2018 to 2024
This visualisation shows the percentage of people aged 16+ who reported a long-term musculoskeletal (MSK) condition in UK regions between 2018 and 2024. The figures are based on self-reported survey responses rather than medical diagnoses. A change in the wording of the survey question in 2024 means the 2024 data cannot be directly compared with earlier years.
The average percentage of people in England reporting a long-term MSK condition ranges from 18.8% in 2018 to 17.0% in 2021. The North East has the highest percentages across the period, reaching 23.1% in 2023. London records the lowest percentages, including 13.4% in 2023.
In the South West, 19.0% of people reported a long-term MSK condition in 2023, compared with 18.4% across England. The figure for the South West in 2024 is 18.66%, compared to 17.85% for England overall.
Percentage of people reporting long-term musculoskeletal conditions by local authority in the Greater West of England, 2024
This visualisation shows the percentage of people reporting a long-term musculoskeletal (MSK) condition across local authorities and districts in the Greater West of England in 2024. The South West records 18.66%.
Across local authority areas, percentages range from 14.06% in Bristol to 22.52% in North Somerset. Wiltshire records 19.67%, while Bath and North East Somerset records 15.46%. South Gloucestershire records 16.09% and Swindon records 15.78%.
Across Gloucestershire districts, percentages range from 15.24% in Gloucester to 22.12% in Forest of Dean. Cotswold records 18.29%, Stroud 18.00% and Tewkesbury 16.10%. Gloucestershire overall records 17.17%.
