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The system seems so convoluted

Posted By Eysmith

"The system seems so convoluted"

About: Community Mental Health Services / CAMHS (Child & Adolescent MH service) Stirling

(as a service user),

Like every parent going through the CAMHS pathway with their child it comes with its frustrations. After very long waits, it can be very disjointed with a lot of change due to trainee clinicians coming and going, we seem to have had a lot of this. Whilst this lets you be seen sooner, it is not ideal for a neurodivergent child who does not cope well with transition and new people, especially in the context that they are having to share. 

My biggest frustration comes from the correspondence and the lack of information on the appointment letters. Only today we have had a mix up as we were under the impression we were seeing a certain clinician when in-fact we had 2 appointments clashing, this arose because all letters state Child and Adolescent Psychiatry even if seeing OT, psychology, mental health nurse etc.

This has not been the first time this has happened and it frustrates me after feeding back many times, that they are still using the same letter format. When I have asked on earlier occasions I have been told it’s to do with GPDR and not allowing identities on the letter, whilst I find this difficult to understand, even if they added the actual discipline the clinician works with, it would be a start & better help parents manage appointments.

The system seems so convoluted and needs addressed. Please ask someone in admin to address this, it’s a very easy fix & makes so much more sense.

I would like to leave this on a positive note, any clinician we have come into contact with has been absolutely amazing with my son, so supportive of his needs, really listening and allowing him time. I thank each & every one of them. 

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Responses

Response from Lesley Dunabie, Department Manager, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, NHS Forth Valley 2 weeks ago
Lesley Dunabie
Department Manager, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre,
NHS Forth Valley

Submitted on 06/10/2025 at 17:16
Published on Care Opinion at 17:16

Dear Eysmith

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and reflections regarding your journey through the CAMHS pathway. We truly appreciate your thoughtful feedback and are grateful for your recognition of the clinicians who have supported your son with care and compassion.

We’re sorry to hear about the frustrations you've encountered, particularly around appointment correspondence and clinician continuity. These are important issues, and we want to assure you that your concerns are being taken seriously.

Appointment Letter Format

We acknowledge the confusion caused by appointment letters that generically state “Child and Adolescent Psychiatry” regardless of the clinician’s discipline. This has been raised by several families, and we understand how this can lead to scheduling mix-ups and unnecessary stress. While GDPR guidance has previously limited the inclusion of clinician names, we agree that specifying the discipline (e.g., Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Mental Health Nurse) would be a meaningful improvement. We are currently reviewing our letter templates and will explore this change as part of our admin process updates.

Clinician Continuity

We recognise the challenges posed by frequent changes in clinicians, especially for neurodivergent children who benefit from consistency and familiarity. While trainee involvement helps reduce waiting times, we are actively looking at ways to improve continuity of care, including better transition planning and clearer communication when changes occur. Whilst we cannot guarantee to always get it right, we are committing to making it better.

Next Steps

Your feedback has been shared with our administrative and governance teams. We are committed to:

Reviewing and updating appointment letter formats to better reflect the clinician’s discipline involving our Patient Relations team and Communications team. Ensuring that feedback from families is incorporated into service improvement plans.

Your insights help us improve the experience for all families accessing CAMHS. If you would like to be involved in future feedback sessions or service design discussions, please let us know. The team will be glad to know that the clinicians you have experienced have been helpful and supportive

With warm regards and thanks,
Forth Valley CAMHS

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