Self-harm a black hole at the heart of the NHS, warns health minister

By The Press Association7th December 2016News EnglandMental Health, News England, NHS, Self Harm, Suicide, Young People / Youth Work, Youth Work

Young people who self-harm have been fundamentally let down by successive governments, a health minister has acknowledged in the Lords.

Lord Prior of Brampton said the “appalling” level of self-harm among children and young people is a “black hole at the heart of the NHS”.

At question time, he said it is an indicator of suicide risk and much more needs to be done to help sufferers.

The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Rev Alan Smith, said research by the World Health Organisation showed about 20% of British 15-year-olds reported some sort of self-harm.

Hospital admissions for self-harm over the last five years had risen by nearly 93% for girls and 45% for boys, he added, and he asked if the Government would issue guidelines to schools and colleges on preventing and responding to the issue.

Lord Prior said 300,000 young people went to hospital A&Es every year after cutting or burning themselves badly.

Despite guidance that all affected young people should receive, at the very least, an assessment, only 53% received one.

He said more than 100,000 young people were being sent home with “very little” help and this was “quite an indictment” of the system.

Labour’s Lord Watts said the mental health service is in crisis and money is not being spent by trusts on vital services for young people.

Lord Prior said money is starting to get through but there are “nooks and crannies” in the NHS such as this where “we have fundamentally let down people for many, many years”.

The issue of self-harm and the suicide risk that derived from it is “a very black hole at the heart of the NHS”.

Independent crossbencher Lord Laming, a former director of social services, said self-harm is a sign of desperation and help is needed instantly. “We should never be relaxed about self-harm,” he said.

Lord Prior agreed, adding it is all the “more shocking that we don’t even provide these poor miserable people, suffering horrendously, with a counselling session”.

He said there had been something “seriously wrong” since 1948. Mental health had been a “Cinderella service” and much more needs to be done.

The Government is committed to spending an extra £1.4 billion on mental health for children and young people but there is a “huge way to go”, he added.