Young people are unlikely to be admitted to mental health in-patient care unless they have ‘attempted suicide multiple times’, a report has warned.
The report, commissioned by Look Ahead Care and Support, found that rising demand for the services combined with ‘limited capacity, staffing, and wait times’ combined to put serious barriers up for mental health services.
This comes as NHS data shows that one in four young people had a probable mental health disorder in 2022. Last year the overall number of mental health service users rose by 16% without a corresponding increase in staffing.
The report found that A&E had become an ‘accidental hub’ for children and young people experiencing difficulties, and recommended the use of alternative community crisis services.
Almost all of the patients interviewed for the report said that they had poor access to crisis care services, with one patient even saying that it took several years to receive appropriate treatment.
One parent told the report’s authors: ‘It was very clear from what the doctor had written that he [the child] has suicidal intentions and was planning for it. It kind of felt that at that time CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) were only interested if he attempted it, which obviously we didn’t want him to do.’
Chris Hampson, chief executive of Look Ahead, said that the challenges in mental health provision for children was a ‘ticking timebomb’ for the NHS ‘as young people become vulnerable adults.’
‘The NHS is doing all it can in impossible circumstances, but the result is a service that both costs more than it should and helps too few of those in crisis,’ added Mr Hampton.
‘This research shows how much more needs to be done to redirect funds towards early intervention and prevention, in particular through intensive supported housing as an alternative to hospital. These are the community services that can help people before they reach crisis point.’
The report’s authors recommend that accommodation-based community services are created, which they said think should be ‘delivered by a collaboration of the NHS, supported housing and local authorities’; funded jointly using new integrated care structures; located ;in a geography that works for the young people, their families and carers’; and ‘sensitive to the age a young person would need to leave, ideally up to the age of 25’.
A version of this article was first published by Pulse’s sister title Nursing in Practice
Unfortunately the report, whilst noting that YP are not likely to be admitted to MH services until they have attempted suicide multiple times, appears to have not mentioned the fact that sometimes they are successful at the first attempt.
Additionally, sometimes they accidentally cause a life-ending injury whilst experimenting with self-harm – although they are far more likely to cause a permanent life-changing injury.
It would be nice if GPs (or Counsellors) faced with a YP about whom they have grave concerns, could prevent such succesful first suicide attempts and life-changing self-harms, by involving local in-person specialist-trained mental health teams and support staff who could provide direct management above what a GP can provide in a 10-minute appoitnment extended into the lunchbreak.
I am not convinced that this should be by relying on voluntary services or charities and their on-line services, although they are very good.
I think NHS services should also be available after 3pm, and after lunchtime on Thursdays of each week. It does not seem best practice to suggest self-referral to A&E from rural areas.