CAHMS - Absolutely Fuming

[BathshebaKnickerStickers]

Sorry, wide awake in the middle of the night because I’m so angry.

My dd - almost 17 - was urgently referred to CAHMS last month because of suicidal feelings and plans.

She had an initial appointment quickly which was an appointment with a very nice nurse to do a background and initial information about how she was feeling and why etc.

She was then posted out an appointment for March.

Sorry, school and the gp both said sorry March is too far away, she needs seen before then, GP intervened and she was due a virtual appointment on Monday afternoon. She was told it wot be done via FaceTime.

She took the afternoon off school so she could be at home for this appointment.

No-one contacted her.

I asked her if she had maybe missed an invitation to a “virtual room” that she had supported to join at her appointment time - no all she had was a text confirming the time - no “joining” link.

No-one contacted her by FaceTime - I’m going to FaceTime someone it’s essentially an outgoing call I make to their number...

No-one phoned her - they have her mobile.

No-one phoned me - they have my mobile

If it was a virtual room that she was supposed to join rather than a FaceTime call, surely when she didn’t jjoin someone should have called - it’s a new system so they must understand that maybe people haven’t used it.

This is a suicidal 16 year old who now has had 2 urgent GP referrals in 6 weeks - the initial one and then this appointment being brought forward.

No joining instructions if it was a virtual room rather than a direct FaceTime call.
No call to her to find out where she was if she had failed to join
No call to me to find out where she was (she was of course sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.

I am beyond furious. Obviously calling them first thing tomorrow but expecting to be told there is nothing they can do now until mid January or whenever.

Are they so jaded that she is “just another suicidal 16 year old”?

[quote BathshebaKnickerStickers]@Bluegreen70 - I’m on anti anxiety medication, have been for years, works extremely well for me.

As my daughter is 16 the GP can’t prescribe medication for her - I’m very pro medication as it works very well for me and other family members.

It could work wonderfully for her, or CBT could work wonders for her - CAHMS is our only access to such pathways because of her age.

And even if they can’t - what do I expect CAHMS to do? I expect them to turn up for an urgent appointment..![/quote]
But you do know if she would consistently take it. My GP prescribed AD and anxiety tablets for me when I was 16, perhaps another chat to them could help. But CAHMS are appalling, my youngest only just been sent a referral through, 5 years after asking via his school.

Is there a chance the link went in to junk email and it was sent. Sympathy as this sounds so difficult.

I work for a large CAMHS department in a large north of England city. It is the usual story of not enough money/staff for the amount of children and young people needing help. The pandemic has seen an extremely large escalation in the amount of YP needing help at the same time as clinicians and admin have had to change their working practices to accommodate Covid.
In the CAMHS I work for we are seeing urgent patients face to face but there are limited appointments.
We use MS Teams for virtual face to face appointments and links are sent along with clear instructions on how to use the link.
I think on this occasion there may have been some human error in setting up your daughter's appointment- I'm sure it can be rectified. All CAMHS urgent appointments are based on the risk factors for that child - your daughter has a caring mum who is proactive at seeking help for her - this is a huge protective factor for keeping her safe.
It's difficult for CAMHS - for each parent their child is (of course) their priority- but CAMHS have to make priority decisions on ALL those children.

My 15 year old was in exactly the same mental position. However the service has been good. We live in Cheltenham.

You should have received a letter with a link. Also a questionnaire for yourself and your DD to complete.

It might have helped that I phoned the service after a night from hell asking when they would speak to DS and explaining what had gone on in detail.

if you continue to be messed about write to the head of the CAHMS service explaining the issue and asking for help

If you can’t get resolution through the head of service ask for their complaints procedure and follow through.

I think this is most likely human error so would give it one more chance before escalating to head of service

Comments like “I don’t know what you expect” or “it’s not a magic solution” are not helpful. You are doing everything you can to ensure that your daughter gets the service she needs and you are right to push for this.
As a head of year in a sixth form, I’ve seen some brilliant interventions that Camhs have made, giving students the tools to make changes to their lives. I’m not saying camhs are perfect by any stretch, but from the very little you’ve said, it’s probably the best service for your daughter. In my experience, private counsellors don’t have the onward referral powers and again anecdotally, CBT seems to make a bigger impact on the young people I have worked with than traditional counselling. Good luck OP and keep pushing, this is an NHS service and those who fight the loudest get the most.

CAMHs haven’t been great for us. My son is being assessed for asd he’s 12 and we were asked if we have tried sticker charts to help with his anger.

Last week I got a call at 6.30 from an unknown number it was CAMHs offering a video assessment to him. The woman who called told me she was glad I answered as she had tried 5 other people and was removing their cases if they didn’t answer.

I hope you get the help you need op. It’s a constant battle and as others have said you have to be on their case every step of the way.

I have two under CAMHs. They use the NHS Attend Anywhere or Teams. You get a leaflet by email or through the post with instructions for AA.

I would email point of access with the subject- Complaint so it is logged. List everything you are unhappy with and any concerns for her safety.

I could write a very long essay on the CAMHs shortcomings in our area. As the for the poster saying what can they do. Err they could access her risk and need, put a risk plan in place and provide treatment to help her with feeling suicidal. My dc has had medication, CBT and individual therapy.

And re private, what happens to the kids whose parents can’t afford that?

blue counselling would help. A lot.

bath Sorry you and your family are going through this. My 12yo DD was let down last week when we expected a video call from a young person's counselling group. She had phone call instead, the woman swore blind it was a telephone appontment, and DD couldn't cope and wouldn't engage with what she'd psyched herself up for. Got an apology by Friday and a video call this week I hope.

Email them and maybe follow up call today. I hope they get their act rather for you and your DD.

act together.

OP it's a terribly stressful situation. I really feel for you and your DD. I really hope you get another appointment. You have every right to be angry, the inefficiency that leads to waste in these chaotic times beggars belief , but when someone's life literally depends on it, it's heart breaking.

I don't want to patronize you, but maybe acknowledge to your DD how furious you are, and invite her to light a candle and do some breathing exercises and a yoga workout on YouTube. It may help her to have that example and see you coping and winning.

They were shit 5 years ago - I dread to think how shit they are now, I’m afraid.

My child was referred twice. Twice we were told that he didn’t meet criteria. Socisl servand be becsmd involved - I asked for support for him - was told he didn’t meet criteria.

28 months later, SS blamed me and cited me as having been neglectful for not getting him help and support....

Welcome to the minefield

Please don't engage with Bluegreen70 they are a nasty troll and were adding similarly nasty comments yesterday. I have reported the post.

Get used to this. Mental health care and social care in general has been strangled in the UK in the last few years. CAHMS will let you down again and again.

We have been using WhatsApp video call for urgent things because that is what a lot of ppl are used to using and are more comfortable with. Also using Skype and teams. Please remember that all of this is very new to the staff including the clinicians as well. Has not been done before - certainly not on this scale. Persevere. Call again in the morning.

Stupid question, have you and your daughter checked your emails? If they did have an email address for you on the system they will have sent details to that probably.

Video calling has been going on since lockdown so 10 months. A lot longer than schools have had to deal with Covid induced IT.

Frankly I think the lack of CAMHs face to face is unforgivable when you consider the same children CAMHs are refusing to sit in rooms with sit in rooms everyday with teachers and 30 other kids.

That said our CAMHs may have many shortcomings but managing video calls isn’t one of them as they have been doing it for many months now.

There is simply no excuse op, it is shockingly bad and being let down like that will only make a suicidal teen feel even worse.

what are you going to do today op?
perhaps they will rearrange,
have either of you managed to contact them

has she checked her spam?

Please check her email & both of your junk mail folders- and please answer all mobile calls including unknown numbers - my trust always comes up as an unknown number & some people don't answer even at the time of their planned phone appointment. I understand not routinely picking up an unknown number but if you are awaiting a hospital appointment you really need to. Check the emails, if nothing there call CAMHS & also send in a written complaint so you have evidence in writing should they fob you off.

I can understand your frustrations, and of course your DD should have an appt, her situation sounds very serious.

I would urge you to make a private appt with a suitably qualified counsellor, I know money is tight for a lot of families right now but having seen what a child’s suicide does to a family I don’t want any other family to suffer. Find the money however you can, and ensure your DD is not alone.

Handhold OP, I can only imagine what you are going through at the moment. The only positive is you know how she feels, so she clearly trusts you to confide, sometimes children don’t say and a tragedy happens that no one could have ever anticipated.

Good luck going forward OP I really hope your DD gets the help she needs and there are brighter days ahead for you both. Please don’t wait for CAMHs.

I disagree with most, and think the responses have been very harsh.

All very well recommending a private counsellor / therapist but it's very important op to keep her DD in the NHS system.

I would try and attack it in a multi pronged approach. Ring and email camhs. Speak to Gp. And Mp. Try and get appointment re-arranged ASAP.

Is the contact not on the orig letter? My daughter had camhs video call during lockdown and we had to go onto a website and click a button and enter her details so we were there waiting for the counsellor. Unfortunately my daughter isn't any better, in fact she's worse and they've discharged her and won't accept her back again.

I understand!
My now 19 year old DD was eventually referred to CAMHS a couple of years ago. For all the help and support she was able to access I may as well have asked our dog for help.
Our local MH services are the worst in the country. We were unable to get a private counsellor or psychiatrist.
Luckily she’s now at university (which hasn’t been without problems) and has a phone consultation with her uni well being service on Monday where she is hoping to be referred to a MH professional

I really feel for you. You are, rightly, fuming and there is some great advice here. A local Lanarkshire MSP was talking about CAMHS in the Scottish parliament recently. So, although you are tier 2 so not Lanarkshire, it does sound to be a widespread issue MSP CAMHS