Young People’s Mental Health Services 2021-11-23
2021-11-23
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
▸
Context
A family in West Berkshire seeking a child and adolescent mental health services diagnosis can face up to two years of waiting. The local clinical commissioning group allocated £1.6 million to recruit staff but lacks hard targets or consequences for underperformance.
What steps he is taking to reduce waiting lists for (a) children and adolescent mental health services and (b) other mental health services for young people. In West Berkshire, a family seeking a child and adolescent mental health services diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can face a waiting time of up to two years. The Berkshire West clinical commissioning group has recently made £1.6 million available to recruit extra staff, but when I spoke to it, I was struck by the absence of any hard targets to reduce waiting lists and any consequences if it fails to deliver.
We are committed to ensuring that children and young people get the mental health support they need. We are expanding mental health services through the NHS long-term plan, aiming for 345,000 more children and young people a year with access to services by 2023-24. This year we have provided an additional £109 million on top of planned funding, allowing 22,500 more children and young people to access community health services this year earlier than planned.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The response acknowledged the issue but did not address specific accountability measures or consequences for failing to deliver.
We Are Committed
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
▸
Context
A family in West Berkshire seeking a child and adolescent mental health services diagnosis can face up to two years of waiting. The local clinical commissioning group allocated £1.6 million to recruit staff but lacks hard targets or consequences for underperformance.
In West Berkshire, a family seeking a child and adolescent mental health services diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can face a waiting time of up to two years. The Berkshire West clinical commissioning group has recently made £1.6 million available to recruit extra staff, but when I spoke to it, I was struck by the absence of any hard targets to reduce waiting lists and any consequences if it fails to deliver.
I share my hon. Friend's concern that waits for autism assessments and diagnosis are often way too long, and that is why we are investing an additional £13 million of funding this year to allow local systems to test different diagnostic pathways—including working on a multi-disciplinary basis—and find new solutions.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The response acknowledged the concern but did not address specific accountability measures or consequences for failing to deliver.
We Are Committed
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
▸
Context
In Yorkshire and the Humber, a child faced more than 13 years to complete treatment for anxiety. In the north-west, some children took three years to complete treatment for eating disorders, and in the midlands, completion can take five years.
Most children face an incredibly long wait after that first step, or even have their referral closed. The real truth is revealed when we look at how long it takes for children to complete treatment. In Yorkshire and the Humber, it took one child more than 13 years to complete treatment for their anxiety.
We remain committed to increasing investment through the long-term plan. NHS England has announced an additional £40 million to address the impact of covid on children and young people's mental health.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The response acknowledged the issue but did not commit to providing specific measures such as a counsellor in every school or access hubs.
We Are Committed
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
▸
Context
The chief inspector of hospitals placed St George's in Tooting into special measures due to the emergency department not being large enough for patient numbers, compromising privacy and dignity.
When the chief inspector of hospitals placed St George's in Tooting into special measures, he warned that the 'emergency department was not large enough for the number of patients that passed through it and privacy and dignity were compromised.' Given the report by the British Red Cross highlighting the causal link between A&E attendance and deprivation, does the Minister understand the further huge impact that moving acute services from St Helier to wealthy, healthy Belmont will have on A&E attendances at St George's?
Forgive me, but I fear the hon. Lady may not have moved her tabled question.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The response did not address the substance of the question about A&E attendances and deprivation.
Forgive Me
Response accuracy