Responding to new analysis from the Royal College of Nursing which reveals some children and young people are facing waits up to three days in A&E before being transferred to a mental health unit, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Ian Higginson said:
“This is of no surprise to Emergency Medicine teams, who look after these patients regularly and see both the system failures, and lack of action to tackle them.
“Some of the most vulnerable people that come through the doors of our departments are experiencing a mental health emergency. And it’s particularly tough to witness this, as an Emergency Department clinician, when these patients are children and young people.
“Our workforce always do their utmost to ensure children and young people receive the best care possible. But despite this many children and young people are left in Emergency Departments because the services they need aren’t there, or because they fall between the cracks of paediatric services, mental health services, and social services.
“Not being able to get them the care they need, in the safest and most appropriate place, is upsetting for all – the child or young person, parents, caregivers, clinicians. And it’s frustrating for our staff.
“There is undoubtedly a lack of capacity in the mental health system caring for children and young people.
“The mental health strategy, has just been announced, and the potential impact of proposed Mental Health EDs for this particular group is currently uncertain, particularly if the fundamentals aren’t there to underpin them.
“Addressing this must be a political priority – if not, children and young people will continue to fall victim of a system in crisis.”