Waiting to be seen by CAMHS - how long is too long legally?

[pinkorkid]

Does anyone know if there are any guidelines which specify how long a child should have to wait to be seen by CAMHS? I want to complain that the wait is too long and is making the problem worse but would like to be armed with some evidence.

Nearest I've found so far is this document:

The Mental Health and Psychological Well-being of Children and Young People

link here:www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4090560.pdf

which contains quotes about impact of having to wait too long such as:

"Access to Specialist CAMHS
6.6 Waiting too long for a service is clearly unhelpful. The parent, child or young
person may be less willing to take up a service where the wait has been excessive.
Similarly, there is a risk that a condition may deteriorate and become more
difficult to treat.
6.7 There is strong evidence that poor attendance rates in CAMHS are most
closely associated with longer waiting lists and with whether parents
understand and agree with referral."

but nothing to say specific amounts of time in particular circumstances.

Grateful for any help.

Another useful link I stumbled across here:

www.rarechromo.org/files/Behaviour/BEHAVIOURCAMHS.pdf

titled:How to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

which may be useful to others trying to access help for thier dcs from CAMHS.

Have sent PM to you pink but don't have any more info.

At the risk of sounding obvious, have you looked at the website for your local CAHMS? Some CAHMS have been subcontracted out to a PCT provider that runs the service in many areas. If this is true in your case, what you could do is contact the local service manager and scream raise your issues.

What I found useful to shorten waits is to nag my GP, after all they commission services . Are you awaiting an assessment or further support? What I and some pita parents have also done are confront the clinicians directly in corridors/meetings/whereever you find them and insist on seeing them asap. Crying and sitting on the floor also helped a parent I know. Do not leave until they get their diary out and give you a date.

Good luck.

I cant answer your question, but I would say, make a pain of yourself.

Write or email the PCT, CAMHS directly, your GP (call as well), the school and anyone else you think may be relevant. Then phone CAMHS up immediately, ask to speak to the most senior person you can, ask for their direct number if they aren't available or say you will call back later / tomorrow etc - harass them until you can speak to someone in charge and then outline your case clearly and painting the blackest picture you can of your child's difficulties and why they urgently need to be seen by CAMHS.

Employ the broken record technique. They will say 'everyone has to wait / we are understaffed / we cannot offer you an appointment until September blahblah', you say 'I understand your difficulties, however, this is why we need to be seen asap'. Over and over.

We have never seen any professional without me employing this technique

It generally works. They just want to get the crazy stroppy lady off their backs

Oh yes, crying is good. If you et a wobbly botton lip, let it all out, I say.

When CAMHS were taking too long to provide a report which we needed for statutory assessment I burst into tears on the phone (genuinely) and said 'if I dont get that report, my child will miss out on his Statement and it will e YOUR fault' sob sob.

They emailed it immediately.

arrgh - 3rd attempt at posting a reply mumsnet keeps logging me out by the time I come to post message so will attempt to be less long-winded this time.
Firstly thank you all for taking the time to reply and for your sound advice. Lionheart - thank you I have read your pm and sounds like a good plan.
Iceflower - thanks I will try to get gp onside. Camhs here are not contracted out just seemingly very understaffed. Not a first assessment, ds has been seen by them many times before but get signed off each time in between. However, the issues are new and may lead to further diagnoses -suspect ocd and depression.
LovelyLovelyWine, I will keep pestering politely, think they may be immune to tears but may depend who I get to speak toweep all over. good idea to get school on board if I can. Also waiting to hear back from PALS. OK FINGERS CROSSED THIS DOESN'T NUKE MY MESSAGE THIS TIME.

Sadly dd1 has been waiting 11months!! Paed messed up referral and finally got referred in oct, but have appointment finally next week. This is a kid that self harms, either doesn't eat or binge eats and doesn't want to leave the house

lisa, It just defies belief doesn't it that children who are already in such a fragile state mentally are kept hanging on for so long? And aside from the child's well-being, it also makes no financial sense. Problems will take longer to fix if not addressed within a reasonable timescale.

Hope dd gets the help she needs finally next week. Let us know how the appointment goes.

Try this
NHS Waiting Times

Hope you get some attention, pink.

I am totally baffled by my recent dealings with with professionals and understand from reading so many threads on these boards that there are people who fight for years to get what is needed. I just wish it were otherwise.

Thank you so much wetaugust. Think I have found the key bit:

"This is a new right and there is new legislation to support it. From 1 April
2010, you will have the right to:
? start your consultant-led treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks
from referral for non-urgent conditions; and
? be seen by a cancer specialist within a maximum of two weeks from
GP referral for urgent referrals where cancer is suspected.
If this is not possible, the PCT or SHA which commissions your treatment
must investigate offering you a range of suitable alternative providers that
would be able to see or treat you more quickly than the original provider."

Sad that anything except cancer referral is considered non-urgent. This will certainly help lisad if she chooses to make a complaint. We have been told we will get initial appointment within 13 weeks but with every day that passes it will be harder to turn ds' situation around.