New research highlights devastating financial and mental health impact of long waits to access migraine care

New research from The Migraine Trust reveals the financial and mental health impact of long waits for migraine care and treatment.

• Two-thirds say it took more than five years before they were able to access a satisfactory treatment
• Almost a third of people with migraine report challenges accessing a GP appointment and almost three quarters on a neurology waiting list have been on it for 5+ months
• A third have turned to private healthcare for their migraine and a quarter reported that they had experienced financial difficulties as a result
• Three quarters of people with migraine report a negative impact on mental health but only 10% have been offered mental health support through the NHS

Migraine is a complex neurological condition, characterised by migraine attacks, affecting 10 million – or one in seven – adults in the UK. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound or smell, and fatigue.

The report, The cost of waiting: how the migraine treatment gap is failing patients, is based on a survey of over 1,500 adults with migraine and highlights their challenges in navigating the healthcare system.

Finding an effective treatment can take years

Less than half of respondents (38%) are satisfied with their current migraine treatment, with delays in accessing support and finding an effective treatment a major reason. Almost a third (29%) report challenges accessing a GP appointment, and almost three quarters (69%) of those waiting to see a neurologist have been waiting more than five months, rising to one year for almost a third (29%).

Finding an effective treatment can take years. Among respondents who had found a satisfactory migraine treatment, almost two thirds (62%) had spent more than five years trying. Just over a third (38%) had tried seven or more treatments before finding one they were satisfied with, while many surveyed had yet to find a treatment that helped.

This is despite major treatment advances in recent years. Medications developed specifically for migraine, including Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and gepants, are now available in the UK. Studies indicate these treatments are more effective in reducing frequency of migraine days and associated with reduced risk of side effects, compared to other preventive migraine medications.