Children’s mental health services need funding to meet demand
QualityWatch, a joint programme between the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation, said the Covid pandemic had fuelled record demand for children and young people's mental health services. And, without action to recover and expand services, there is a risk of leaving behind a generation, it added.
The programme’s report found that between April 2021 and September of that year there was an 81% increase in referrals for mental health services for under-19s, compared with the same period in 2019. The increase for adults was 11% in the same period.
Urgent referrals to children and young people’s mental health services rose by 59% compared with April to September in 2019. Waiting times increased, particularly for those with suspected eating disorders. It added that long waiting times for other conditions, including cancers, would affect the mental health of children and young people.
The report insisted the government and the NHS improve access to health services for children and young people. It said: ‘More support and funding for services should be put in place to avoid disadvantaging a whole generation of people. Without further action, the impacts of the pandemic will be compounded and will be felt for a long time to come.’
Tim Gardner (pictured), Health Foundation senior policy fellow, said Covid had profoundly affected the health of children and young people.
‘The pandemic has driven demand for mental health services to record levels and increased delays in accessing routine hospital treatment, while the disruption to education, employment and social support will have consequences for children's future health prospects,’ he added.
‘As the country emerges from the pandemic, there is an opportunity to ensure no one is left behind. Children and young people must be at the heart of the national recovery effort, including revisiting plans to expand access to mental health services to account for greater need and targeted action to address the backlogs in children's health services.’
Last week, the Royal College of Psychiatrists said eating disorders in children had reached crisis point, with the number of under-19s waiting for routine treatment reaching record levels. And, responding to the elective recovery plan for England, the college called for a similar plan for mental health services.
Adrian James, the college president, said: ‘The government cannot afford to neglect mental health recovery any longer. Record numbers of people are seeking help from mental health services that are over-stretched and under-resourced.
‘We urgently need a fully-funded mental health recovery plan to ensure that everyone with a mental illness can get the help they need when they need it.’
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