Children needing NHS mental health services in England need to be seen within four weeks — or the next day for those at risk of self-harm and suicide — according to a new report.
A study from the Commission on Young Lives, chaired by former children’s commissioner for England Anne Longfield, said the current system was buckling and required a huge investment. It said NHS services often rejected referrals, including those for children who had self-harmed, attempted suicide or had eating disorders, while there were long waits for those who made it on to the list.
It called on the Government to agree a long-term strategy with an immediate billion-pound cash injection to improve support for youngsters with “guaranteed appointment and treatment times”. This meant all children and young people requiring NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services should be seen within four weeks, “with guaranteed next-day emergency appointments for children at risk of serious self-harm and suicide”.
