Care Opinion

Text size

Theme

Language

Videos in BSL or ISL
Help with language translation
Help with reading or listening

Trying to get a referral to CAMHS

Posted By Frustrated Fife Mum

"Trying to get a referral to CAMHS"

About: Fife Community Services / Childrens and Adolescence Mental Health Services (CAMHS) General practices in Fife

(as a parent/guardian),

I have been trying for 3 years to get my son a referral into the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in Fife to be assessed for Attention Deficit Disorder and mental health support. Our Dr tells me it must come from school and school say it must come from the Dr and they will then support it with evidence from school. Twice the Dr have submitted a referral, somewhat grudgingly, and twice it has been dismissed due to lack of evidence - nobody has seen my son, spoken to my son or given me a way in which I can submit evidence to support my request for his referral. 

He is now in high school, by the time he gets through the system into CAMHS he will have finished school and perhaps not be able to maximise his full potential due to the inability to access the full support he needs for learning. 

I am sick of being passed from pillar to post! Why can no one give me a straight answer of how to access the support my son needs. 

It's a disgrace. I know there is a waiting list, I know there are children with far greater struggles than my son but that does not give the NHS the right to deny my child access to the service he needs! 

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Lee Cowie, Clinical Service Manager, CAMHS, Health & Social Care Partnership 2 years ago
Lee Cowie
Clinical Service Manager, CAMHS,
Health & Social Care Partnership

Manage Childrens Mental Health services

Submitted on 10/06/2022 at 16:38
Published on Care Opinion at 17:03

Dear Parent,

I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you have experienced in gaining support for your son and appreciate how frustrating it must be when trying to negotiate various different referral pathways.

Within Fife, the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) isn't responsible for providing assessment for Attention Deficit Disorder. This service is provided by the Community Paediatric service and the Tier 3 ADHD service. Both of these routes to assessment are accessed through your GP however there is a requirement that education provide information to support any referral.

Fife CAMHS provides specialist intervention for children and young people who are experiencing severe, complex and enduring mental illness. If you feel that your son would benefit from this level of support then I would encourage you to seek a referral which again can be accessed either through school or GP.

In addition to CAMHS there is a wide range of support now in place in Fife to support young people with emotional and mental health difficulties. Information on these resources can be found at either;

Emotional Wellbeing | Fife Council

Choosing the right support | NHS Fife

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Frustrated Fife Mum (a parent/guardian)

Hi there,

Thankyou!

I have no idea as to why the Dr referred my son to CAMHS on this occasion. My first referral request went to paediatrics but this latest one went to CAMHS... I will speak to the Dr surgery on Monday morning about this and hopefully get a referral done to the correct place.

My son does still need the mental health support. I will look at the links you have shared with me on this post.

Thank you again for your response.

Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k