It details concerns over whether access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in practice is swift and highlights that access to services varies geographically and that some find the process for accessing services confusing. The document is intended to act as a guide to those providing and commissioning CAMHS to help reduce waiting times for children, young people and families. More specifically, it hopes to help the development of local CAMHS pathways by drawing on the learning from:
- Other services that have achieved 18 weeks pathways.
- New ways of working in multi-disciplinary teams.
- Recognising service improvement approaches (they suggest four approaches which are detailed below).
The guide sets out both strategic and operational steps for implementing waiting time standards and supporting delivery of low wait and accessible CAMHS. It outlines four service improvement models that have already been used in some areas by commissioners and providers, including:
- 10 High Impact Changes – These are ten changes that mental health services can make to achieve the biggest improvement in services. They were originally developed by the NHS Modernisation Agency in 2004 and adapted for mental health services in 2006.
- The Choice and Partnership Approach – Focuses on: actively involving young people and their families, managing demand and capacity, while also offering a different approach to career planning and the utilisation of clinical skills.
- Lean Thinking – Is about identifying what adds value, improves flow and eliminates waste whilst being flexible and open to change. It was originally developed by Toyota and has been applied to other sectors.
- New Ways of Working – This approach is about a cultural shift that involves developing new and enhanced roles for mental health staff and redesigning systems to support them in their delivery of person-centred care, as demand for services is currently greater than the ability to supply.
The guide also uses a number of case studies and local examples of good practice to show how these models can be applied in practice and improve access to CAMHS.
Download the report.