In the most recently published Health and Social Care Board performance report it outlines that the number of patients waiting longer than nine weeks to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has increased within every Trust area, however the Western Health and Social Care Trust has had the most pronounced increase year on year.

In March 2019 the number of patients waiting longer than nine weeks to access CAMHS in the Western Trust area was 98.

A year later, in March 2020, the number was 358, an increase of 260 patients waiting longer than nine weeks for this essential service.

A month later, in April 2020, this figure had increased dramatically to 488 patients.

Of these 488 patients waiting longer than nine weeks to access CAMHS in the Western Trust area in April 2020, two were awaiting Drug and Alcohol Mental Health Services (DAMHS) and 87 were awaiting Primary Mental Health Services (PMHS) Step Two.

399 of the 488 patients were waiting to access Core CAMHS Step Three, which is for children and young people who are experiencing significant/complex mental health difficulties.

At 399 patients, the Western Health and Social Care Trust’s number of patients waiting longer than nine weeks to access Core CAMHS Step Three was vastly higher than any other Trust area.

For comparison, the number of patients waiting over nine weeks in the Belfast Trust for this service was 130. The Northern Trust had three patients, South Eastern Trust had no patients and the Southern Trust had 101 patients waiting longer than nine weeks.

In the middle of July 2020, the Western Trust released Stage Two of their Rebuilding Plan following the reduction of services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the Rebuilding Plan Stage Two, it stated that CAMHS service delivery with regards to overall capacity will be “affected by approximately 30 per cent”.

It went on to highlight that CAMHS has been selected to be “early adopters of a digital platform to provide a modality of therapeutic delivery to the most vulnerable and marginalised young people which will strengthen and support capacity lost through the physical environment of work places whilst we adhere to guidance”.

When asked by The Impartial Reporter when this digital platform will be implemented, a spokeswoman from the Trust stated: “The Trust has invested in the use of a virtual platform during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The platform is currently being used by a small cohort of young people and clinicians and we are excited to see the results of a service user experience survey which is currently being conducted to assess this new modality of therapeutic delivery prior to full implementation.

“It is anticipated that this will help alleviate some of the pressures on clinical staff, enabling continued promotion of therapeutic connection with young people and mitigate against lost capacity given current restrictions.”

In the rebuilding plan it also stated that there will be a “significant increase” in demand for CAMHS over the coming months due to the impact of the pandemic on children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

The plan also states that in addition, as children prepare to return to school it is expected that this will also impact upon referrals to the service.

The physical environment in which CAMHS is accommodated in and adherence to the social distancing guidelines will impact on capacity also.

Prior to Covid-19 regulations and the reduction of the Western Trust’s services, the number of patients waiting over nine weeks to access CAMHS was 358 in March 2020, compared to 98 in March 2019.

In January 2020, the number of patients waiting more than nine weeks was 329 and in February 2020 the number was 306. This shows that extended waiting times for CAMHS has been an issue pre-pandemic.

As the Western Trust states in their rebuilding plan that over the coming months they are anticipating an increase in demand for CAMHS but the delivery of the service is to be affected by approximately 30 per cent, this newspaper asked the Trust what are they going to do to make this service more accessible to the children and young people who require it?

A spokeswoman for the Western Trust responded: “The CAMHS Service consistently meet target timescales in respect of Emergency (within 24 hours or sooner) and Urgent referrals (within five days).

“However, it is recognised that due to available resources and the need to prioritise our most urgent patients, the ability to see routine referrals within the nine week target is a challenge for the Trust.

“This challenge in meeting demand continued prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

She continued: “The increase in the number of young people waiting more than nine weeks for a routine assessment is a priority issue and we are committed to working towards better access for young people and are taking steps to address these including additional investment made by the Health and Social Care Board which will enable the existing CAMHS clinical workforce to be strengthened and increased.

“Recruitment of current vacant positions is a matter of urgency.”

“Extending a contract with a local provider which supports the Service in delivering assessment and therapeutic intervention to young people with mild to moderate mental health issues,” the spokeswoman added.

“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the Trust CAMHS service has continued to work tirelessly to deliver a responsive service to meet the needs of the most vulnerable young people and families with mental health concerns and also support the wider networks.

“The CAMHS waiting list is regularly reviewed to prioritise need and to respond to any increased risk,” the Trust spokeswoman concluded.