CAMHS services under pressure
Health chiefs have warned mental health services for children in Lanarkshire are facing “unprecedented pressure”.
A large rise in the number of people requiring urgent unscheduled care is impacting on planned care and leading to increased waiting times for those needing to use Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
However, those with the most clinical need, high risk and urgent cases continue to be seen as a priority and don’t go on a waiting list.
This concerns those with life threatening presentations of suicidality, significant deliberate self-harm, eating disorders and acute psychiatric presentations.
Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire bosses are “redesigning” services in the hope it will help in the long term.
Emer Shepherd, general manager of specialist children’s health services, said: “We have seen a sustained increase in the number of people accessing the service, particularly those requiring urgent care.
“The complex nature of CAMHS means a range of significant and immediate pressures must be balanced to ensure we respond to demand, but also remobilise the service in such a way that it meets the needs of our young people going forward.
“We are tackling these pressures head on while also redesigning the service so we can quickly and flexibly meet the needs of the young people we see.
“The recovery process, by necessity, is a gradual process for many services and this includes CAMHS.
“It’s important people are aware of this and why it will take time to return to normal as we adapt to the disruption caused by Covid-19.”
Ms Shepherd also heaped praise on staff and said: “Throughout the pandemic, CAMHS staff have been exceptional. The wider healthcare system is under a great deal of pressure, but our teams are working incredibly hard to continue delivering a high standard of safe and effective care.
“New referrals are reviewed each day and allocated to clinicians or waiting list according to clinical need. The service is also operating a waiting list clinic at weekends to offer additional flexibility.”