Children's Charity Chief Calls For Action Over Under-18s In Adult Psychiatric Wards

STOCKPORT, U.K. - Feb. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- A national children’s charity chief has called for urgent action from the NHS to ensure a speedy end to the “very worrying” practice of placing under 18 year olds with mental health problems in adult psychiatric wards.

Action for Sick Children chairman Pamela Barnes, MBE Hon. FRCPCH, was speaking after a BBC investigation revealed that an increasing number of under-18s with mental health problems in England are being treated on adult psychiatric wards.

Furthermore, they discovered that many children have to travel hundreds of miles across the country to receive hospital treatment.

The revelations come despite a promise from the Department of Health, made in 2010, that treating young people in adult wards should only happen in exceptional circumstances.

“This is a very worrying practice and must be stopped immediately,” said Mrs Barnes speaking from her home in Disley, Cheshire. “Children with mental health problems could well be at serious risk if placed in adult wards.

“It must be terrifying for such youngsters, finding themselves in adult wards. It must be more horrifying for parents who might not be able to visit or stay with their children on such wards.

“It is incredible to find children being admitted to adult wards so many years after my charity, Action for Sick Children, led and ultimately won the fight for children’s wards with free parental access.

“We will now be carefully monitoring this situation and discussing its implications with MPs.”

The BBC and Community Care, the on-line journal, used Freedom of Information requests to find the number of under-18s being treated in adult units was in its hundreds and rising.

Data from NHS mental health trusts in England showed that 350 under-18s have been admitted so far to adult mental health wards in 2013-14, compared with 242 two years earlier.

Dr Michael McClure, consultant child psychiatrist and clinical director of children's and adolescents' mental health services at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, said doctors were faced with this problem every week.

"Sometimes we have to make 50 to 100 phone calls around the country looking for a bed. They [young people] shouldn't be shunted around into inappropriate facilities, however much the staff there tries to help them," said Dr McClure.

"It may be the first time they have had a breakdown. They need to stay in touch with the people they know and love, and if they have to move 200 or 300 miles, it's very difficult for the family to stay in touch."

Dr McClure said funding for mental health services had been cut, particularly for child and adolescent services in the community.

Mrs Barnes added: “This is a very sad and worrying situation. We must act now to protect these children whatever the cost. We must also work hard at supporting the parents of these children who must be going through hell.”

Parents of those children who have been admitted to adult wards can call the Action for Sick Children help line on: 0800 074 4519.

For further information click onto: www.actionforsickchildren.org.uk

ENDS