Waiting time targets for mental health conditions in children
NHS England is, according to Wikipedia, part of the Department of Health and Social Care. It oversees the planning and day-to-day operation of the commissioning side of the NHS in England. In February 2015, NHS England published a guidance document: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/iapt-wait-times-guid.pdf setting out targets for the regional NHS Trusts to work towards in the area of access to psychological therapy (for all ages). In July 2015, NHS England published a guidance document: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/cyp-eating-disorders-access-waiting-time-standard-comm-guid.pdf which sets out targets for access to treatment for eating disorders in children and young people under 18. In 2016, NHS England introduced guidance for early intervention in a first episode of psychosis. This link is to a guidance document providing implementation advice to NHS Trusts for meeting the targets in this area: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/04/eip-resources.pdf
If your child was referred to NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for mental health support during the last several years (since 2016), it’s my understanding that the following will have been the applicable guidelines:
If your child was referred to CAMHS for mental health support during the last several years (since 2016), it’s my understanding that the following will have been the applicable guidelines:
Target time from referral (from GP, school, self-referral, or other) to assessment and start of treatment
US
Maximum of 2 weeks from referral to start of treatment, for a first episode (assessment and start of treatment must take place within those 2 weeks.)
Assess risk over the phone within one day of a referral. If the risk is ‘high’, a clinic assessment must be offered within 5 days. If the risk is classified as ‘routine’, a clinic assessment must be offered within 4 weeks.
Assessment within 6 weeks and start of treatment within 18 weeks.
Source of this information
Implementing the early intervention in psychosis access and waiting time standard, NHS England, Version 3, 16 Feb 2023, Version 2 Dec 2020
Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder, NHS England, Version 1.0, July 2015
Care Quality Commission Brief guide BG012: CAMHS waiting times V4, August 2019
My child’s experience on the waiting list bore no relation at all to the relevant target. In addition, when we got to the top of the list, the attitude and reactions of the staff we met suggested that they were insufficiently aware of the importance of early intervention. A summary of the waiting times for Oxfordshire compared with the rest of England is available on the following link: