The mental health workforce often feels “excluded and devalued”, according to a new report calling for fundamental changes in the way child and adolescent mental health services are delivered.
The report, published by a new commission set up by organisations including Royal College of Psychiatrists and charity YoungMinds, highlights the vital importance of including mental health professionals in efforts to improve services.
It calls for a new “values-based” approach to care based on what really matters to young people and says training for everyone who works with young people – including clinicians – should reflect that.
The report – called What really matters in children and young people’s mental health – also highlights the need for more opportunities for staff to share ideas and good practice, and for much greater collaboration between health services and schools.
However, commenting on the report, the Royal College of Nursing noted children’s services were struggling to cope with rising demand.
Full story in The Nursing Times 8 November 2016