Legal News

Health Minister Norman Lamb has been asked by Norfolk’s online publication EDP24 whether he thought he had done enough while in office to tackle issues with children’s mental health services in England and Wales.

Mr Lamb was responding to revelations by Norfolk County Council’s children’s services that one 13-year-old at risk had to be treated in a police-guarded hospital bed in March – while a 17-year-old in need or urgent medical intervention had to be admitted to a children’s home for treatment, because no tier-4 mental health beds were available.

Mr Lamb said that the two cases were “vivid examples” of the failure of the system to support children and teenagers properly.

“Because I concluded that children and young person’s mental health services were completely dysfunctional, we now have very good people working within it; but the way it is commissioned is fragmented and not fit for purpose,” Mr Lamb said

“I have commissioned a task force to come up with a blueprint for modernising services. That’s a blueprint for much closer focus on prevention. It needs a complete overhaul – and I hope the blueprint will be a top priority for whoever is in control after May 7,” Mr Lamb added.

“We have got record numbers of tier-4 beds, so it is not a case of beds having been cut; and we secured an extra £7 million for children’s mental health beds in the last financial year.”

NHS England has said there are around 60 tier-4 mental health beds in the Norfolk area – with an extra 56 beds added to the existing 1,386 tier-4 beds available nationally last year.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on their rights under the Mental Health Act, including access to NHS treatment and detention under the Mental Health Act.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and our mental health solicitors are available at short notice for appointments at police stations and hospitals to advise on mental health law.

In some cases, it may be possible to advise the nearest relative or carer of a mental health patient, including initiating treatment reviews, where appropriate.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors’ Helpline on 0203 114 1124.