NHS Confederation - Mental Health Network response to CQC review of Children and Young People's Mental Health Services

8 Mar 2018 01:22 PM

Sean Duggan, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Network, which is part of the NHS Confederation, responded to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) review of Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

“We welcome this report as not only does it highlight current issues within Children and Young People’s services but it also emphasises a number of positive case studies.

“It is important to highlight that there are some great things happening in Child and Adult Mental Health services – notably our members at North East London Foundation Trust whose Brookside ward has gone from a CQC rating of ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’ in just one year.

“We also back the recommendations in the report, such as more flexible models of care – including the opportunity to embrace new technology such as online counselling services. Our members XenZone are currently providing ground breaking online Child and Adult Mental Health services.

“There needs to be more clarity around commissioning of CAMHS services; shared understanding of patient needs and cross-sector collaboration to deliver services. Our members Place2Be have been delivering mental health care in schools for over 23 years. Partnership working between statutory and third sector providers can be extremely effective and we are seeing many examples of the great contribution made by the third sector.

“We are encouraged by the government’s commitment to commissioning these reports. We fed into the recent Department of Health’s Green Paper as part of the Mental Health Policy Group and look forward to seeing the recommendations from that, and from this report implemented.

“We look forward to the CQC’s commitment to reporting on progress in 2019/20.”

CQC Report: National action required to ensure local services work together to support children and young people’s mental health needs

Notes to editors:

The NHS Confederation Mental Health Network (MHN) is the voice of mental health and learning disability service providers for the NHS in England. It represents providers from across the statutory, for-profit and voluntary sectors and over 90 per cent of all NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts in England delivering mental health services.

The NHS Confederation represents 85 per cent of NHS providers and commissioners. The organisation has nearly 500 members across health and social care, including hospitals, community and mental health providers, ambulance trusts and independent sector organisations providing NHS care. It is the only membership body to bring together and speak on behalf of the whole NHS.

Follow Sean Duggan on Twitter @SeanDugganMHN. Or follow the Mental Health Network @NHSConfed_MHN or the NHS Confederation press office @NHSConfed_Press.

A full list of Mental Health Network press releases and statements can be accessed at its media centre.

For media queries, contact Neil Durham (Media and Communications Manager - 020 7799 8671 / neil.durham@nhsconfed.org) or Charlotte George (Senior Media Officer - 020 7799 8664 / charlotte.george@nhsconfed.org). For out-of-hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500 726.