NHS treatment of teens with mental issues - National disgrace

These are a few thing struck me about recent experiences:-

1. GP are not interested at all in getting involved - they shovel it along as soon as they can.

2. The people in CAMHS don't appear to give a monkeys as long as they tick the box and meet their targets. There is no provision to expedite care it seems.

3. There are people working in CAMHS (our local one anyway) who don't deserve to be looking after a hamster let alone a vulerable teenager. We've had all sorts of excuses why they can't help ranging from call the police, call social services to telling us we needed to look at our parenting skills.

4. There appears to be NO provision for adolescents to see a Psych doctor or consultant AT ALL to determine the most appropriate treatment plan.

5. There is NO emergency provision for mental health for adolescents (at least in my area). Pretty sure if an adult presented at A&E there would be an on-call mental health professional available - not for anyone else.

Parents
  • Very surprised at your post.  I was under the impression that adolescents are a priority.  It's the adults who are considered beyond help and neglected.

  • Hi Robert- maybe it varies in different areas? I hope its not a national problem.

    Nope. I found the support to be appalling. I even told the CAMHS people that I was concerned about his wellbeing, others in the families wellbeing (inc his 4 year old sister( as well. I told them I wanted to raise this as a high priority because I didnt want something worse to happen which I could see.

    All I got from CAMHS was a shrug and told nothing they can do to help. (and to phone the police!) Or a case of not our problem its someone else.

Reply
  • Hi Robert- maybe it varies in different areas? I hope its not a national problem.

    Nope. I found the support to be appalling. I even told the CAMHS people that I was concerned about his wellbeing, others in the families wellbeing (inc his 4 year old sister( as well. I told them I wanted to raise this as a high priority because I didnt want something worse to happen which I could see.

    All I got from CAMHS was a shrug and told nothing they can do to help. (and to phone the police!) Or a case of not our problem its someone else.

Children