Agenda item

8.1

The Committee received an update upon CAMHS, and in attendance for this item were Tim Furness (NHS Sheffield), Jon Banwell (Sheffield City Council), Kate Laurance (NHS Sheffield), Shona Ashworth (NHS Sheffield) and Dr. Clare Pearson (Team Leader, Beighton CAMHS).

8.2

It was noted that this item had been submitted to the Committee following concerns raised at a previous meeting over unacceptable Tier 3 CAMHS waiting times.

8.3

Dr. Pearson outlined how the waiting list numbers had been reduced, and how the average waiting time now was 17 weeks. The Sheffield CAMHS model had been redesigned to make the service more efficient. It was clarified that emergency cases were still seen as a priority and did not have to wait the full 17 weeks.

8.4

Dr. Pearson stated that the demand upon the service was huge. It was clarified that there had been a one-off injection of money into the service, which had helped to clear some of the backlog of cases, and that the new service model was more effective and sustainable in terms of dealing with cases more efficiently. It was clarified that no other service areas had suffered as a result of working hard to clear the CAMHS waiting list backlog.

8.5

Members were satisfied that waiting times had been reduced, but were still concerned that 17 weeks was too long a wait for families. It was confirmed that the CAMHS team delivered training sessions upon what signs to look for in children potentially suffering from mental health problems to teachers, social workers and other health professionals. There was also a named person now at each school across the City who was responsible for looking after children with mental health problems. Members wished to know how many health professionals had attended these training sessions.

8.6

Children accessing CAMHS were suffering from a wide range of mental health problems, including depression, anorexia, psychosis, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and autism, to name a few. It was noted that case referrals were increasing from all areas of the City. Interpreters were always arranged if necessary at CAMHS. There was no definite set period of time for which children stayed with CAMHS; it was a case of how long was required per individual case.

8.7

Concerns were raised by Members that bad diet in children and young people was contributing to the rise in the number of cases seen of ADHD, and that children’s erratic lifestyles (including excessive playing of computer games, lack of sleep and exercise, and poor diet) were contributing to increases in mental health problems. It was confirmed that CAMHS did use social networking to help young people, but that there were often confidentiality issues, so use of facebook and other sites was carefully controlled.

8.8

It was confirmed that referrals to CAMHS came from a wide variety of sources, including schools, social workers, Multi Agency Support Teams and GP practices.

8.9

Cases were not necessarily seen on a ‘first come, first served’ basis; there was a team of people who screened cases on a daily basis to ensure that priority cases were seen first and emergencies were dealt with.

8.10

A family therapist was assigned to work with each family, and this person also helped the parents of the child to deal with the issues in hand.

8.11

Deborah Woodhouse from Asbergers Children and Carers Together (ACCT) told the Committee that there were currently 250 families in ACCT and that she was being made aware by parents that they were being told by GPs if their child was suffering from OCD, ‘not to bother’ CAMHS, which she felt was a very negative position, as OCD could have serious effects upon a child’s mental health. 

8.12

It was clarified that CAMHS offered a more effective ‘triage’ service than previously, and that they referred cases to other agencies and partners as and when appropriate. 

8.13

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

(a) notes the contents of the report now submitted;

(b) wishes to know how many health professionals have attended the training sessions arranged by CAMHS, and

(c) requests that the Scrutiny Policy Officer put arrangements in place to set up a working group upon CAMHS waiting times to comprise at least three Members of the Committee, with meeting dates and times and terms of reference to be confirmed in due course.