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Worcestershire County Council's Children's Social Care has been working with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust to develop a joint Children's Urgent Mental Health Care Protocol.

The protocol is a tool that guides professionals in working together to meet the needs of children and young people who attend local health services in emotional or mental health crisis.

The protocol includes two clear pathway diagrams that professionals should refer to for quick and easy guidance on what to do – and who to contact to get the right support in place.

The council says that an important message within the protocol is that, unless the child is in need of emergency medical care – for example, following an overdose or serious physical injury – they do not need to attend A&E.

Instead, the protocol says urgent mental health care can be provided by GPs (or out-of-hours GP services on 111), working with mental health and social care partners.

Worcestershire County Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Councillor John Campion, said:

“This tool will be of great help to ensure all partners are working to the same guidelines, to help vulnerable children and young people get the most appropriate support for their mental health need.

“Mental health is an increasing problem in children and young people, so we need to ensure all professionals across Worcestershire are working together, to provide them with the best support available.”

Children’s Clinical Services Manager at Worcestershire Health and Care Trust, Philippa Coleman, added:

“We provide mental health support for children and young people right across Worcestershire – but recognise that often it requires a multi-agency and organisational approach to ensure issues are detected early and treated appropriately.

“This protocol will ensure consistency across the health and care system in Worcestershire, which will ultimately improve the way we respond to children, young people and their families/carers when they are experiencing mental ill health.”

Consultant Paediatrician – and Divisional Director of Medicine for Women and Children at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – Dr Andrew Short said:

“We are pleased to see this guidance which ensure that vulnerable children and young people receive the right care, delivered by the correctly trained professional in the most appropriate setting.

“This is a great example of partner organisations working effectively together to make improvements that will both benefit service users, as well as improve efficiency.”

Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove and NHS Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Groups, Jo Galloway, added:

“It is important for children and young people to receive the right care, by the right professionals, in the most appropriate setting – and this protocol has been developed with the input of a wide range of partners to ensure this happens.

“Children and young people’s needs are central to this process and the protocol aims to ensure a coordinated approach to meet their needs.”

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Lawyers
Duncan Lewis is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services and our mental health lawyers regularly visit police stations and hospitals to advise on mental health law, including detention under the Mental Health Act.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health lawyers may be able to advise the Nearest Relative or carer of a mental health patient on mental heath law, including access to services and initiating treatment reviews, where appropriate.

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