Agenda item
Presentation from Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed
and thanked Angela Lodwick for attending and for her readiness to speak to the
Committee Members. The Learning Communities Overview and Scrutiny
Committee were invited to observe this agenda item.
Angela Lodwick
provided members with a presentation, outlining the following:
·
Hywel
Dda UHB
·
NHS SCAMHS (Role & Function, Referral
Pathway & School in-Reach)
·
Primary
Mental Health Service (P-CAMHS)
·
Emotional
Well-being/ Schools
·
NHS
Wales S-CAMHS Service Framework & Specialist Services
·
Referrals
received & accepted (data on Hywel Dda UHB & Ceredigion)
·
SCAMHS
Workforce in Hywel Dda UHB & Ceredigion
·
Impact
& positive outcomes due to Covid-19
·
Coproduction:
Future Minds, KOOTH Digital Online Counselling Service including presenting
issues & Arts Boost
·
Safe
Hwb CYP (Children and young people) in mental health distress & outcomes
·
Interventions
to promote mental wellbeing
Members were provided with the opportunity
to ask questions which were answered by Angela Lodwick. The main points raised
were as follows:
·
Concerns
raised with GPs were not referring CYP and with waiting times; all GPs were
aware of the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) referral pathway. Most referrals
were done by schools, possibly as staff and school nurses were more familiar
with the CYP. The target by WG was for all assessments to be carried out within
28 days of referral, but during Covid-19, P-CAMHS had a delay due to a
significant increase in referrals.
·
It was
suggested that there needed to raise public awareness of ways to access
services. The website was in the process of being updated.
·
KOOTH
employed trained counsellors, but it was not developed as a substitute for
CAMHS services. There was a system in place to alert CAMHS if a CYP was deemed
at high risk. In terms of KOOTH, most users were between 14-17 years old. A
breakdown of the gender of users was not available during the meeting.
·
It was
acknowledged that CAMHS had developed significantly over the past decade along
with conversations around mental health. The focus of P-CAMHS was on early
intervention and School in Reach Services have been active in Ceredigion for 3
years which has raised teachers’ confidence in child and adolescent mental
health.
·
CAMHS
provided services for young people up to 18 years old; there was a transition
lead in place to aid with the transition to adult mental health services.
·
Work
was ongoing to obtain a more suitable premise for CAMHS in Aberystwyth as
Tŷ Helyg was not considered fit for purpose.
·
In
instances where CAMHS did not accept a referral, the CYP was signposted/ given
advice or referred to a different service.
·
In terms
of Welsh language provision which was deemed key, CAMHS were expected to adhere
to the Welsh Language Act. Welsh-speaking staff from the service were drafted
in to undertake assessments and treatment for CYP when required.
·
Anxiety/Stress
had increased significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic and currently, was the
highest presenting issue in CYP. A pathway for staff to identify and provide
intervention had been developed.
·
Although
there was an eating disorder team in Bridgend, concerns were raised as there
was no dedicated tier 4 unit for eating disorders in Wales.
The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Angela
Lodwick for attending and for her valuable contribution. She noted that the
discussion had certainly raised questions and highlighted the need for
increased support for CYP. It
was agreed that a copy of the presentation would be shared with Committee
Members in due course.
Following questions by the Committee
Members, it was agreed to note the information and feedback to Cabinet if
required.
Supporting documents: