Rising referral rates threat to services

There is a “daunting discrepancy” between the child and adolescent mental health services needed and those available, according to a report out today.

The YoungMinds guide to developing a comprehensive Camhs says services face pressures created by escalating numbers of referrals, increasingly severe cases and long waiting times.

It says many Camhs are trying to provide high-quality care from facilities that are “cramped, outdated and difficult to reach” and calls for services to be “properly-valued within the host trust”.

The report says that young people prefer services that are not labelled “mental health services”. They also prefer services that offer walk-in access, that are open at evenings and weekends and offer help with practical day-to-day problems.

Further information

Developing Comprehensive Camhs