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Is there no help for our young adults?

Posted By Fab1973

"Is there no help for our young adults?"

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

(as a service user),

My son has been struggling with his mental health since I got diagnosed with cancer. I have finally convinced to get help. I took him to drs and got him referred to FDMAH he went to then from July to mid November when he decided it didn’t help anymore. Late October after being passed from pillar to post several times between school and gp we finally got an urgent referral submitted by our gp.

Due to no news at all about the status of his referral and deterioration of his situation I have phoned CAMHS only to find out his case had been downgraded to normal and he’d have to wait 18 weeks!

I am baffled how his case got downgraded when he hadn’t been contacted and seen at all!

The staff who answered my desperate call weren’t rude but rather dismissive and only repeated the same .... saying "phone the police, phone the dr and ask for an urgent referral".

My son is 16 years old! Is there no help for our young adults?

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Responses

Response from NHS Forth Valley 4 years ago
NHS Forth Valley

Submitted on 12/12/2019 at 12:15
Published on Care Opinion at 12:15

Dear Fab1973,

We are sorry to hear of your son's difficulties accessing the CAMH’s Service. I thought it might be helpful if I explained the process after the referral is made to CAMHS.

When a young person is referred to CAMHS the referral information is considered fully by our vetting team using NHS CAMHS referral criteria. If the information does not meet the criteria for urgent referral the GP is informed and suggestions given on resources which might provide helpful support. This is also copied to the parent/carer of the young person or young person themselves. The GP may at that point provide further information which goes back to the vetting team and the request is reconsidered in light of the available information. GPs can also contact the department to discuss referrals if they have any questions.

If I can be of further assistance please contact me directly scott.allan2@nhs.net to discuss your concerns.

Scott Allan

Lead Nurse

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

NHS Forth Valley

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Update posted by Fab1973 (a service user)

Dear Scott

Many thanks for your response. I am glad you had the opportunity to inform me of the procedure CAMHS follows.

Unfortunately the system appears to be broken since after the referral being a month old when I phoned CAMHSin Stirling I had no information or contact whatsoever from either my GP or CAMHS themselves.

In fact my GP appeared to be none the wiser about decision reached by your vetting team. I think it would be a good idea for the vetting team to contact the patient before they make decisions based on the opinion of a third person (GP)

Better still! I think the family should be informed of the decision within a month of your decision. Of course CAHMS isn’t omniscient but the family of the patient has to know where they are within a reasonable amount of time don’t you think?

Quite honestly the system you described sounds more like a way to wash your hands from my child then procedure.

I have now had access to an apt no thanks to CAMHS vetting team.

Little suggestion:

Spend less on a vetting team and a bit more in making more counselling available to our children!

Response from NHS Forth Valley 4 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
NHS Forth Valley

Submitted on 20/12/2019 at 11:09
Published on Care Opinion at 16:02

"Dear FAB1973,

Thank you for your feedback. We are reviewing our processes in response to your feedback and from our Parent Liaison Group.

As a result of this feedback a letter will now be sent to parents/carers once a referral is accepted onto our waiting list in the New Year. We hope this will help others avoid a similar experience to the one you have described. If you wish to discuss your concerns further I would be happy for you to contact me on 017856454546 or scott.allan2@nhs.net"

Kindest regards

Scott Allan

Lead Nurse

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

NHS Forth Valley

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