New report identifies lack of commissioning coordination in children’s mental health services

The Parliamentary Health Select Committee has launched a report following its inquiry into children’s & adolescents’ mental health and CAMHS.

Welcoming the report Dr Greg Ussher, METRO Chief Executive said: “We welcome the Health Select Committee’s report into children’s and young people’s mental health services and CAMHS, highlighting increasing need and demand for services and diminishing resources and lack of coordination in commissioning. The Committee’s report exposes a crisis to which urgent and critical action is required.

“Our evidence to the Committee highlighted the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people drawn from our Youth Chances research and our on the ground experience working with young people. We are pleased to see that the report acknowledges both the higher rates of mental health problems for LGBTQ young people and their specific needs and we urge the recently established Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce to consider the evidence and respond urgently to their needs in its review.”

“We concur with the Committee on the lack of reliable and current data on children and young people’s mental health. This must be addressed with a national dataset that includes sexual orientation and gender identity.  We are horrified  at the high levels of mental health problems reported to us through our Youth Chances research with over half of LGBTQ young people reporting mental health issues and nearly half having considered suicide.

“On top of the general bias against mental health in the overall health budget, only 6% of mental health spend goes to children and young people; yet we know that early intervention is both critical and effective.  Young people need to be able to access services quickly when they need them, without high thresholds and long waiting times during which their problems often escalate.

“We welcome the Committee’s acknowledgement of the significant role of charities and the voluntary sector in providing these early intervention services and supporting children and young people and their families through the system.”

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