North Tyneside MP Mary Glindon raised the tragic case of Cramlington's Charley-Ann Patterson in the House of Commons on Tuesday and demanded Conservative ministers moved to guarantee mental health treatment for children and young people who need it within a month of referral.
During questions for Department of Health and Social Care ministers in Westminster, Ms Glindon referenced Charley-Ann's inquest - which found the 12-year-old died by suicide following serious bullying in October 2020. She had suffered from low mood and anxiety and previously reached out to health services after self-harming on two occasions.
After answering a question regarding how long children and young people wait for NHS mental health treatment, Health minister Maria Caulfield agreed to meet with Ms Glindon to discuss her campaigning on this issue. Following the inquest, Senior Coroner Andrew Hetherington said he would contact the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about lessons to be learned from the heartbreaking case.
Northumberland Coroner's Court heard in October how a plan was made to refer her to the Northumberland early help hub but the referral was never processed by the NHS trust responsible. The inquest heard how it was wrongly assumed that a referral had already been made when it fact it was to be made after the follow up appointment.
Speaking in parliament, Ms Glindon said: "Young people in the North East potentially have to wait up to three years for mental health treatment. Local Metro Radio launched Charley's campaign to get young people more timely mental health support. That's a campaign in memory of Charley-Ann Patterson, a 12-year-old who took her own life while waiting for treatment.
"Labour has a fully-costed plan to guarantee mental health treatment for those who need it within a month of referral. Will the minister commit to adopting this target now?"
Ms Caulfield responded by thanking Ms Glindon for raising the issue and said: "I'm very sorry to hear of the tragic case of Charley Patterson. We do recognise that particularly with the pandemic, mental health conditions for young people and children have seen a significant rise.
"So we are expanding services so an additional 345,000 children and young people can access NHS mental health support and are providing support in schools and colleges too. I am very happy to meet to discuss her campaign further."
READ NEXT:
- 'Relentless focus' on answering 999 calls after Northumbria Police told to improve response times
Council reveals vision to move Freeman Hospital to new home at HMRC offices in Longbenton
'A difference not a defect': Top medic wants to challenge stammering stigma
- Daughter's anger after Gateshead dementia patient sent home from hospital - and even had the locks on her front door forced
- Abortion rights groups in Newcastle welcome plans for 'buffer zones' to block protesters outside of clinics
