20.02.14
Young people treated in adult psychiatric wards
The number of young people being admitted to adult psychiatric wards is increasing, Freedom of Information requests show.
The BBC found that so far in 2013/14, 350 under-18s were treated on adult psychiatric wards. This compares with 242 two years earlier. The FoI requests also found that 12 under-16s were admitted, compared to just three in 2011/12.
Such treatment should only happen in exceptional circumstances and the DH had promised it would stop by 2010.
Of 18 trusts that provided out-of-area placement data, 10 had sent children more than 150 miles away for treatment.
Dr Michael McClure, clinical director of children’s and adolescent’s mental health services at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, told the BBC: “Sometimes we have to make 50 to 100 phone calls around the country looking for a bed.
“They [young people] shouldn’t be shunted around into inappropriate facilities, however much the staff there try to help them.
“It may be the first time they’ve had a breakdown. They need to stay in touch with the people they know and love, and if they’re having to move 200 or 300 miles it’s very difficult for the family to stay in touch.”
A DH spokesperson said: “Our mental health crisis care concordat reinforces the duty on the NHS to make sure that people under 18 are treated in an environment suitable for their age, according to their needs.”
Sarah Brennan, chief executive of the charity Young Minds, said: “The lack of help early on means we are letting children's problems escalate to serious levels.
“This, alongside the lack of accurate data about the mental health needs of our nation's children and young people, means commissioning has been based on out-of-date, inaccurate information, leading to out-of-date provision.”
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