Mental Health Change Mooted

By HAYMAN, Kamala

Canterbury children and young people with mental health problems face long waits for care in a service that is fragmented and inconsistent.

In a bid to improve its child, adolescent and family mental health service, the Canterbury District Health Board has proposed a four-tier system with a single point of entry, boosted by 11 extra staff.

Canterbury’s outpatient services handle 1000 referrals a year for children and young people with mental health problems. It also has 16 hospital beds for those under 18 with acute mental health problems.

However, in a proposal-for-change document circulated to staff, the board has criticised the current service for having seven routes for patients entering the system, depending on age, severity of illness, time of presentation and urgency.

GPs, who made more than half of all referrals, were concerned about these multiple entry points.

The report said child and youth outpatient services had long waiting lists, and each operated separately and was based on different criteria.

It also criticised the “lack of a seamless transition” for patients, who were moved from one service to another as they got older or because the severity of their illness changed.

Many faced “a relatively long waiting time” to switch services.

Mental health service general manager Vince Barry said long waiting lists for child and youth mental health services were a national issue, but he believed Canterbury could eliminate waiting lists. “We believe we don’t need to have a waiting list.”

The proposal for change suggested a four-tier model with a single point of referral regardless of age, severity or place of residence and the combining of outpatient waiting lists.

The four tiers would begin with the young person or family’s first contact with non-specialist mental health services. The second tier would involve professionals who specialised in mental health for “uncomplicated but significant” disorders.

The third tier would involve multi- disciplinary teams to help those with more severe, complex and persistent disorders.

The fourth tier would see highly specialised or intensive services, including hospital inpatient units for those who were severely mentally ill or suicidal.

The proposal has been circulated for staff consultation.

It will go to the health board’s hospital advisory committee on November 1.

Mental health challenges — A4

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