Healthwatch in Greater Manchester – Pathway to CAMHS Report

Healthwatch in Greater Manchester have released a major new report that shines a light on the experiences of people trying to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

This substantial project gathered data from across all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, seeking out views from children and young people, parents and carers, local groups, and health and care and education professionals. It was publicised and shared in each borough and in total almost 1200 people’s stories contributed to the comprehensive report, released today.

Parents, carers, and young people told us that waiting times and uncertainty around who to contact were among the main barriers to accessing support, with a significant number of families waiting over one year between assessment and intervention leading to children’s deteriorating health. It also became clear that parents play a pivotal role in getting their children care, facing effects on whole family wellbeing, finances, and even their ability to work.

Professionals themselves called for improvements across the board, and most rated their experience of the referral pathway as poor.

Healthwatch in Greater Manchester have made a number of recommendations which they believe will lead to better outcomes for the children and young people in desperate need of care, as well as their families, and provide much needed information for professionals struggling to support patients on the pathway.