A specialist mental health support service for children and young people in the UK's northwest is facing reduced operating hours, a move that has prompted concerns about its impact on vulnerable individuals.
The Card Before You Leave scheme, which provides young people in mental health crisis with a written appointment with specialists before discharge from a hospital emergency department, is now only operational on weekdays. The Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) stated that financial pressures led to the reduction, which began in August.
Londonderry GP Dr. Joe McEvoy described the cutback as a further erosion of an already strained service. "It's already difficult for families when they're dealing with a young person who is distressed to know how they should manage it," McEvoy told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.
The WHSCT confirmed the reduction is part of wider savings measures and will remain under review. The trust clarified that the reduced hours apply only to young people who present during out-of-hours periods and are assessed as low risk. These individuals will now be seen by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) on the next working day, rather than the next calendar day.
According to the trust, arrangements for young people assessed as high risk have not changed, and they continue to receive appropriate assessment and support based on their clinical needs. The WHSCT maintains its commitment to providing safe and effective mental health services for children and young people.