Jacqui kershaw • Sep 22, 2021
Our children deserve better
Nick Triggle the BBC health correspondent has written about the waiting times for children and young people when they are referred to
CAHMS or
EWHMS as they called here in North East Essex.
As a Psychotherapist working in private practice and in schools with young people aged 11-18 I am sadly not surprised, in fact I am surprised that the figures are not much higher.
The freedom of information request by the BBC indicated that 51%
of patients were seen within 4 weeks of the referral, my guess is that the percentage relates to those young people so desperate to be seen and heard they have tried to take thier own lives.
In five years of working with young people in the Tendring
area those hitting the four week mark have been the telephone call following the initial referral It is not only my area that is badly affected, Head Teacher Michelle Catterson from Surrey told the BBC she is "often reluctant to refer students to CAHMS
because of the impossibly long waiting lists for her students to be seen".
The long waiting lists are not the fault of CAHMS, the fault lies with the commissioners who decide where the best place to spend the money lies, having sat on many collaborative meetings I know it is nigh on impossible to get some commissioners to see the benefits for an alternative to the IAPT
model, because they are convinced this model works for most of those seeking help, and in comparison to alternatives it is relatively cheap. Personally I have two issues with this, the first being, if the IAPT
model is the only one worth investing in then why in Tendring is there in excess of a 12 month
waiting list, 4 if they are suicidal?............the second is that surely the fact that here in North Essex we have the 2nd highest rates of suicide in the country should indicate to those holding the purse strings that they might need to rethink how they are investing the money, our statutory bodies are overworked and underpaid and the turnover of staff in mental health units in the UK is very high, the adolescent mental health units we have in Essex were downgraded following a surprise visit by the CQC after serious concerns were raised about the wards at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
It is not all doom and gloom. there are a plethora of ways for therapists within organisations and in private practice to assist those with complicated mental health issues, they can be costly but I truly feel those tasked with deciding where the money goes to assist our future generations need to realise that cheaper does not mean better value for money.
Children and young people are so desperate for help they are attempting to take thier own lives, some multiple times, some, sadly do not get the 2nd or 3rd chance because for them once was enough.
Tendring Wellbeing and Intervention Services CIC
was set up because the needs of children and young people were not being met, and we have met those needs time and time again in the past five years.
Not only do we provide therapy and theraputic interventions for young people we also involve the family, knowledge in power and our mission is to help the community as a whole.
We have a proven formula and a desire to replicate what we do all over the country so please feel free to get in touch
Jacqui Kershaw
Founder /Lead Psychotherapist
jacquik@tendringwellbeingandi.co.uk
Tel: 01255 484778/07954586836
Essex Countywide Business Award Finalist 2022
