NHS England
NHS / Health Body
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NHS England highlights increased access to CYPMH services, with 758,000 children and young people receiving support in the 12 months to January 2024. They cite a 46% increase in the CYPMH workforce since January 2019 and mention the NHS Long Term Plan's ambition for 100% access to specialist support. They also note discussion of all PFD reports by a working group. (AI summary)
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Dear Coroner, Re: Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths – Sailor Court who died on 17 September 2021
Thank you for your Report to Prevent Future Deaths (hereafter “Report”) dated 10 June 2024 concerning the death of Sailor Court on 17 September 2021. In advance of responding to the specific concerns raised in your Report, I would like to express my deep condolences to Sailor’s family and loved ones. NHS England are keen to assure the family and the Coroner that the concerns raised about Sailor’s care have been listened to and reflected upon.
Your Report raises concerns relating to the national resourcing of children and young people’s mental health (CYPMH) services, sometimes referred to as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the available workforce in CYPMH including the “Keeping in Touch” team operated by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and increasing levels of need together with long waiting lists.
Improving mental health support for children and young people is a priority for NHS England. The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) sets an ambitious commitment that access will increase, with 345,000 more children aged 0-25 accessing support in 2023/24 compared to 2019. This commitment came with significant additional funding, rising to over £900 million in 2023/24. We have made significant progress towards this commitment, with 758,000 children and young people receiving support from the NHS in the 12 months to January 2024. This has been achieved through investment in the CYPMH workforce, which has increased by 46% since the start of the LTP in January 2019, and by 70% since 2016.
We accept your finding that demand for support for mental health and wellbeing is increasing. The prevalence of mental health need has also increased following the pandemic in 6-16 year olds, from one in nine to one in six, and in 17-19 year olds from one in ten to one in six. Many services face significant demand and, therefore, increasing access to support continues to be a priority.
The NHS LTP also includes a ten-year ambition that 100% of children and young people who need specialist support should be able to access help by the end of the decade. National Medical Director NHS England Wellington House 133-155 Waterloo Road London SE1 8UG
05/08/2024
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (June 2023) sets out the importance of continued investment in the mental health workforce and, in 2022, NHS England consulted on potential new access and waiting time standards, including for children and young people’s mental health. Delivering these ambitions will be subject to future funding settlements and we will clarify plans in due course.
NHS England has also been sighted on the response to the Coroner from South East London Integrated Care System. We note that they have increased funding and available capacity, and that SLaM is undertaking a quality improvement collaborative to increase the percentage of young people receiving their first contact within 28 days. I refer you to their response dated 18 July for further information on this.
I would also like to provide further assurances on the national NHS England work taking place around the Reports to Prevent Future Deaths. All reports received are discussed by the Regulation 28 Working Group, comprising Regional Medical Directors, and other clinical and quality colleagues from across the regions. This ensures that key learnings and insights around events, such as the sad death of Sailor, are shared across the NHS at both a national and regional level and helps us to pay close attention to any emerging trends that may require further review and action.
Thank you for bringing these important patient safety issues to my attention and please do not hesitate to contact me should you need any further information.
Thank you for your Report to Prevent Future Deaths (hereafter “Report”) dated 10 June 2024 concerning the death of Sailor Court on 17 September 2021. In advance of responding to the specific concerns raised in your Report, I would like to express my deep condolences to Sailor’s family and loved ones. NHS England are keen to assure the family and the Coroner that the concerns raised about Sailor’s care have been listened to and reflected upon.
Your Report raises concerns relating to the national resourcing of children and young people’s mental health (CYPMH) services, sometimes referred to as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the available workforce in CYPMH including the “Keeping in Touch” team operated by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and increasing levels of need together with long waiting lists.
Improving mental health support for children and young people is a priority for NHS England. The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) sets an ambitious commitment that access will increase, with 345,000 more children aged 0-25 accessing support in 2023/24 compared to 2019. This commitment came with significant additional funding, rising to over £900 million in 2023/24. We have made significant progress towards this commitment, with 758,000 children and young people receiving support from the NHS in the 12 months to January 2024. This has been achieved through investment in the CYPMH workforce, which has increased by 46% since the start of the LTP in January 2019, and by 70% since 2016.
We accept your finding that demand for support for mental health and wellbeing is increasing. The prevalence of mental health need has also increased following the pandemic in 6-16 year olds, from one in nine to one in six, and in 17-19 year olds from one in ten to one in six. Many services face significant demand and, therefore, increasing access to support continues to be a priority.
The NHS LTP also includes a ten-year ambition that 100% of children and young people who need specialist support should be able to access help by the end of the decade. National Medical Director NHS England Wellington House 133-155 Waterloo Road London SE1 8UG
05/08/2024
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (June 2023) sets out the importance of continued investment in the mental health workforce and, in 2022, NHS England consulted on potential new access and waiting time standards, including for children and young people’s mental health. Delivering these ambitions will be subject to future funding settlements and we will clarify plans in due course.
NHS England has also been sighted on the response to the Coroner from South East London Integrated Care System. We note that they have increased funding and available capacity, and that SLaM is undertaking a quality improvement collaborative to increase the percentage of young people receiving their first contact within 28 days. I refer you to their response dated 18 July for further information on this.
I would also like to provide further assurances on the national NHS England work taking place around the Reports to Prevent Future Deaths. All reports received are discussed by the Regulation 28 Working Group, comprising Regional Medical Directors, and other clinical and quality colleagues from across the regions. This ensures that key learnings and insights around events, such as the sad death of Sailor, are shared across the NHS at both a national and regional level and helps us to pay close attention to any emerging trends that may require further review and action.
Thank you for bringing these important patient safety issues to my attention and please do not hesitate to contact me should you need any further information.