NHS Scotland needs to do more to help young people with mental health issues
The theme for World Mental Health day tomorrow, Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World, is very apt for this Year of Young People.
Mental health (as opposed to mental illness) should always be on the agenda, and especially for young people. Depression is the leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents, according to the World Health Organisation, with suicide being the third highest cause of death in 15 - 19 year olds. In 2016 there were an estimated 60,000 adolescent deaths from self harm worldwide.
So how do we fare in NHS Lothian? The national waiting list target for Children and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS) is now 18 weeks for an initial appointment. That’s more than four months, a long time for young people and families to wait.
According to latest figures, 67 per cent of recent referrals to CAMHS were seen within this time limit. By its own admission, CAMHS NHS Lothian’s current priority is to offer a first appointment to those who have waited more than 18 weeks, in the hope of clearing its backlog. Clearly an uphill struggle on current resources.
Students at Edinburgh University might fare better. They are promised the offer of an assessment appointment with the Student Counselling service within two weeks. If counselling is offered, it will be for four sessions. The university website offers a range of other help and general advice on mental health wellbeing.
UK wide, there is a fivefold increase in students disclosing mental health conditions. But the UK student suicide rate has risen by 56 per cent in the last 10 years, with rates in women in their early 20s at its highest level for two decades. Female student suicide rates are rising, apart from those in Scotland.
Figures can give us only partial information. For example, why is the suicide rate lower among Scottish female students? What happens to the significant numbers of CAMHS referrals which are rejected even before a first appointment? It seems we need to tackle three main areas: implement and monitor the action points in the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027, increase the Government and health boards’ investment in CAMHS nationwide, and improve the research into areas of child and adolescent mental health.
FIONA GARWOOD Ormidale Terrace, Edinburgh