Call for urgent action to support mentally ill young stuck in care gap
Almost 80% of child psychiatrists have had serious safeguarding concerns about a patient who is waiting for a mental health bed, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) said amid fears children are becoming “stuck in the gap” between inpatient and community care.
A survey by the Royal College of Psychiatrists also found three-quarters of psychiatrists have diagnosed a young patient as being at a high risk of self-harm or attacking other people but have gone on to be treated in the community.
Nearly two-thirds of professionals said young patients had been held in inappropriate settings such as paediatric wards, police cells, and accident and emergency departments.
The results were published in a report today by the RCP, which warns children and young people with mental health problems are being caught between stretched community services and accessing acute beds, sometimes resulting in episodes of violence and attempted suicide while they wait.
It also found staff were at risk of being assaulted by patients who had been placed in unsuitable wards because of a lack of appropriate care.
Dr Peter Hindley, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s child and adolescent faculty, said: “It is unacceptable that children and young people are stuck in this gap between community and inpatient care. This survey shows just how devastating the consequences can be.
“We need urgent action to support these individuals and their families.
“Ensuring the safety of children and young people should be the number one priority. Failure to improve both inpatient and community care will mean they will continue to be at risk to themselves and others.”
Psychiatrists blamed the increased difficulty in accessing beds on a rise in demand and a decrease in the capacity of social care.
The report found: “In addition to cuts in finance, respondents commented on additional pressures on resources that have impacted on service delivery, including the closure of units in parts of the country.
“Insufficient community resources were reported for managing high-risk cases, as were cuts to services, and the time needed by community consultants and trainees in terms of finding beds, taking clinical time away from families. Respondents also commented on the significant detrimental effect on staff and staff burn-out.”
The RCP urged the Government to prioritise investment in crisis care services for children and young people, as well as strengthen community mental health services to prevent admissions.
:: The survey was completed by 270 child and adolescent psychiatrists in December 2013 and the data has since been analysed.
Care and Support Minister, Norman Lamb, said: “We’re already taking action to improve mental health care for children and young people – we’ve invested £7 million in new beds, £150 million in support for young people with eating disorders and self-harm and we will shortly publish proposals on how we can make sure every child gets the care they need at the right time and in the right place.”
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