County calls for help with mental health scrutiny
Warwickshire County Council is looking for parents and carers of young people with mental health issues to encourage them to give their views on the treatment they have received.
A joint review between two overview and scrutiny committees has been established to consider how well Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are meeting the needs of young people in Warwickshire.
A series of reports dating back to December 2007 have highlighted that the availability of CAMHS is inconsistent across Warwickshire and waiting times for assessment and treatment are too lengthy. Although accessibility to CAMHS is a national concern and has recently been the subject of national reviews by the government, Councillors considered it fundamentally important to review local provision in order ensure the services are as effective as possible. Consequently, the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Children, Young People and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee have joined forces to consider the issues.
Eight councillors will be holding a select committee hearing on 30 June to assess evidence from a range of witnesses. They will then report back to their overview and scrutiny committees with measures and recommendations. The councillors are keen to hear the views and experiences of services users in relation to the services they receive from the NHS, the county council and voluntary organisations.
Specifically, councillors are seeking views and experiences in relation to the following issues, which have been identified as problems across the UK.
Length of waiting times (for assessment and treatment)
Accessibility and availability of services
Clarity and consistency of the referral process.
Councillor Martyn Ashford, chair of the select committee who will be reviewing CAMHS procedures, said: “We appreciate that availability of treatments for young people with mental health problems is not a problem that is confined to Warwickshire. Nonetheless, we want to be sure that what we are doing in the county is as good as it possibly can be. We urge parents and carers of young people who have accessed CAMHS to participate in the review by telling us about their experiences.
“Our providers are conscientious and highly skilled professionals, but sometimes they are unable to look at the service from a user’s point of view. It is important that we get feedback from young people themselves, as their experiences will be critical in shaping any recommendations to come out of this review.”
All responses will be treated with the strictest confidence. A secure email address has been set up for young people to share their views before 30 June at scrutiny@warwickshire.gov.uk