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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/23/children-with-mental-health-problems-guaranteed-treatment-in-four-weeks
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| Children with mental health problems 'guaranteed' treatment in four weeks | Children with mental health problems 'guaranteed' treatment in four weeks |
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| Children with anxiety and depression will be guaranteed treatment within four weeks in a new effort to improve mental health care, but lack of NHS staff and funding means the plan cannot be fully introduced until 2021. | Children with anxiety and depression will be guaranteed treatment within four weeks in a new effort to improve mental health care, but lack of NHS staff and funding means the plan cannot be fully introduced until 2021. |
| A leak from the forthcoming green paper on children’s mental health, due to be published in early December, reveals that for the first time, the government will introduce a maximum waiting time for youngsters needing such treatment. | A leak from the forthcoming green paper on children’s mental health, due to be published in early December, reveals that for the first time, the government will introduce a maximum waiting time for youngsters needing such treatment. |
| The four-week cap is intended to end what mental health charities say is the scandal of troubled children and young people in England having to endure long waits before they can see a psychiatrist, even if they have an eating disorder or have contemplated suicide. | The four-week cap is intended to end what mental health charities say is the scandal of troubled children and young people in England having to endure long waits before they can see a psychiatrist, even if they have an eating disorder or have contemplated suicide. |
| Some vulnerable under-18s are denied care for as long as 18 months, the Care Quality Commission warned in a recent report. The average wait to receive children’s care in England currently is 11 weeks. | Some vulnerable under-18s are denied care for as long as 18 months, the Care Quality Commission warned in a recent report. The average wait to receive children’s care in England currently is 11 weeks. |
| Maximum waiting times to access child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is one of the key proposals in the government’s paper on children’s mental health, details of which have been obtained by the Guardian. The departments of health and education are currently finalising the document. | Maximum waiting times to access child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is one of the key proposals in the government’s paper on children’s mental health, details of which have been obtained by the Guardian. The departments of health and education are currently finalising the document. |
| The paper is also expected to propose that pupils should be seen by therapists and counsellors at their school rather than going to a clinic off-site, to encourage uptake of treatment by using a setting with which they are familiar. | The paper is also expected to propose that pupils should be seen by therapists and counsellors at their school rather than going to a clinic off-site, to encourage uptake of treatment by using a setting with which they are familiar. |
| Ministers hope the move will increase the number of troubled young people receiving care – only 25% do so at present – and reduce the risk both of pupils having to quit school as they await treatment, and of their problems enduring into adulthood, through early intervention and support. | Ministers hope the move will increase the number of troubled young people receiving care – only 25% do so at present – and reduce the risk both of pupils having to quit school as they await treatment, and of their problems enduring into adulthood, through early intervention and support. |
| “It’s the equivalent of ‘talking therapies’ for children,” said one source involved in drawing up the green paper. Students with more complex mental health problems, such as psychosis and personality disorders, would still be treated by children’s mental health services under the plan, however. | “It’s the equivalent of ‘talking therapies’ for children,” said one source involved in drawing up the green paper. Students with more complex mental health problems, such as psychosis and personality disorders, would still be treated by children’s mental health services under the plan, however. |
| Many children’s mental health teams say that they are struggling to cope with demand, which has rocketed in recent years as growing numbers of young people have begun suffering with anxiety, depression and other disorders. | Many children’s mental health teams say that they are struggling to cope with demand, which has rocketed in recent years as growing numbers of young people have begun suffering with anxiety, depression and other disorders. |
| Rates of self-harm, especially among teenage girls, have soared over the last decade. Social media, pressures at school, poverty and difficult backgrounds have been identified as factors underpinning the rise. | Rates of self-harm, especially among teenage girls, have soared over the last decade. Social media, pressures at school, poverty and difficult backgrounds have been identified as factors underpinning the rise. |
| Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, sees four-week waits as a key way of improving access to CAMHS, which has been criticised as deeply inadequate by MPs, regulators and thinktanks. CAMHS is “possibly the single weakest area of NHS provision”, Hunt has said. | Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, sees four-week waits as a key way of improving access to CAMHS, which has been criticised as deeply inadequate by MPs, regulators and thinktanks. CAMHS is “possibly the single weakest area of NHS provision”, Hunt has said. |
| But NHS mental health experts, charities and organisations representing CAMHS staff have warned him privately in recent weeks that, while they back the plan, the new target cannot be delivered across all of England right away because the NHS has too few staff and too little money, and it may not prove a good use of scarce mental health resources. | But NHS mental health experts, charities and organisations representing CAMHS staff have warned him privately in recent weeks that, while they back the plan, the new target cannot be delivered across all of England right away because the NHS has too few staff and too little money, and it may not prove a good use of scarce mental health resources. |
| As a result, Hunt is likely to announce that the new waiting time standard will initially be piloted in a few areas and its impact on patients’ health, and the staffing and money required to deliver it, closely monitored. With money in the NHS set to remain tight until the end of this parliament, full rollout across England is not expected to happen until 2021. | As a result, Hunt is likely to announce that the new waiting time standard will initially be piloted in a few areas and its impact on patients’ health, and the staffing and money required to deliver it, closely monitored. With money in the NHS set to remain tight until the end of this parliament, full rollout across England is not expected to happen until 2021. |
| Hunt has been trying to persuade Philip Hammond, the chancellor, to provide enough extra money to ensure that the improvements envisaged can happen. Theresa May has identified mental health, and young people’s mental welfare in particular, as one of the “burning injustices” she wants to tackle as prime minister. | Hunt has been trying to persuade Philip Hammond, the chancellor, to provide enough extra money to ensure that the improvements envisaged can happen. Theresa May has identified mental health, and young people’s mental welfare in particular, as one of the “burning injustices” she wants to tackle as prime minister. |
| Mental health groups welcomed the concept of a four-week guarantee, which is set to join the four-hour target for A&E care and 18-week wait for non-urgent hospital treatment as a key measure by which NHS performance is judged. | Mental health groups welcomed the concept of a four-week guarantee, which is set to join the four-hour target for A&E care and 18-week wait for non-urgent hospital treatment as a key measure by which NHS performance is judged. |
| “As some children are waiting 18 months for treatment we would welcome a four-week waiting time for child and adolescent mental health services, provided it is properly funded and monitored”, said Dr Bernadka Dubicka, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ child and adolescent faculty. | “As some children are waiting 18 months for treatment we would welcome a four-week waiting time for child and adolescent mental health services, provided it is properly funded and monitored”, said Dr Bernadka Dubicka, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ child and adolescent faculty. |
| But, she added: “Without sufficient funding there is a danger it would distort the care that children get – for example, by delaying ongoing treatment because of the use of resources to meet the waiting-time target.” | But, she added: “Without sufficient funding there is a danger it would distort the care that children get – for example, by delaying ongoing treatment because of the use of resources to meet the waiting-time target.” |
| The green paper will also outline plans – first suggested by May in January – for every school in England to have a teacher who is trained to act as its mental health coordinator, in the same way that schools have a special needs coordinator. | The green paper will also outline plans – first suggested by May in January – for every school in England to have a teacher who is trained to act as its mental health coordinator, in the same way that schools have a special needs coordinator. |
| Sarah Brennan, the chief executive of the charity Young Minds, said: “The green paper is a huge opportunity to tackle the mental health crisis we are seeing among children and young people in England. | Sarah Brennan, the chief executive of the charity Young Minds, said: “The green paper is a huge opportunity to tackle the mental health crisis we are seeing among children and young people in England. |
| “Schools must be given support and funding so they can help young people who are struggling with their mental health, as well as help them build resilience to cope with the ups and downs of normal life. But it is also crucial that the government commits to proper long-term sustainable funding for CAMHS.” | “Schools must be given support and funding so they can help young people who are struggling with their mental health, as well as help them build resilience to cope with the ups and downs of normal life. But it is also crucial that the government commits to proper long-term sustainable funding for CAMHS.” |
| Barbara Keeley, shadow cabinet minister for mental health, said: “These proposals will add to the litany of Tory failures on children and young people’s mental health if they don’t receive proper funding. Parents, charities and clinicians will all be concerned that the budget provided no additional resources for CAMHS services, which are under great strain.” | Barbara Keeley, shadow cabinet minister for mental health, said: “These proposals will add to the litany of Tory failures on children and young people’s mental health if they don’t receive proper funding. Parents, charities and clinicians will all be concerned that the budget provided no additional resources for CAMHS services, which are under great strain.” |
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