Commissioning Statement in Respect of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Author(s): Northern Health and Social Services Board (NHSSB)
Document Type: Report
Year: 2000
Publisher: NHSSB
Place of Publication: Ballymena
Subject Area(s): Health, Health Services, Social Care

Abbreviations: CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, NHSSB - Northern Health & Social Services Board

Background to the Research

  • Research shows that mental health problems amongst children and young people has a prevalence rate of 20%, with 10% having a moderate to severe disabling condition. In 1999 the NHSSB commissioned a report from Young Minds Consultancy Service with a view to help the board provide better services for child and adolescent mental health problems within it's area.

Research Approach

  • The commissioning statement represents the recommendations from the report endorsed by the Board after a process of consultation with interested parties.

Main Findings

  • A wide range of services is available in relation to early intervention by primary care professionals and others to address mild problems. However, coverage of the population is patchy and they are not integrated into a coherent network or strategic context.
  • Statutory services are often viewed as inaccessible, stigmatising or unresponsive.
  • The funding of the voluntary sector is seen as vulnerable, and support to and from the statutory sector is poorly developed.
  • Specialist CAMHS have limited input into addressing mild problems where a range of welfare professionals operate. The input of specialist CAMHS is equally limited where services are provided by specialist uni-professional groups such as child psychologists.
  • Specialist CAMHS are overwhelmed by demand.
  • Within specialist services, key skills are not available, most notably child psychotherapy.
  • The inadequate provision of paediatric liaison and a specialist out-of-hours service is a cause for concern.
  • There is a seriously inadequate level of provision of specialist in-patient services, with older teenagers at times being admitted to adult psychiatric wards.

Conclusions

  • Commissioning arrangements are to be revised and improved.
  • Additional funding is to be made available to address mild problems and the early stages of presentation of symptoms.
  • The role of Family Centres in supporting child and adolescent mental health is to be developed further and the number and location of such centres reviewed.
  • Managerial and organisational arrangements, and the staffing level of the specialist CAMHS service, are to be enhanced.
  • The type and level of specialist provision needed for children and young people with a mental illness is to be reviewed.

 

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