Enter and view: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Healthwatch Sandwell conducted an Enter and View visit to the Sandwell Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) at Lodge Road, West Bromwich, on 8 July 2019. The purpose of the visit was to gather feedback from children, young people and their parents or guardians about their experiences of accessing and using the service. 

CAMHS provides specialist mental health support for children and young people aged 5 to 18 who are registered with a GP in Sandwell and have complex or severe mental health needs. The service includes a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals and works closely with families, schools, GPs and other agencies. 

Healthwatch interviewed seven service users and their parents or guardians during the visit. However, the number of participants was small because only one clinic was operating at the time, and the waiting area was relatively quiet. As a result, Healthwatch concluded that the evidence gathered was insufficient to provide a comprehensive assessment of the service.

Most participants reported that accessing CAMHS had been relatively straightforward once referrals had been accepted. Referrals commonly came through GPs or the Crisis Team, although one respondent said accessing the service was initially difficult. One parent reported that although their child had been seen in hospital, there had been a delay before they were seen by the Crisis Team.

Many respondents said they had received little or no support before attending CAMHS, although some had received support from their school or GP. Views on whether access to the service could be improved were mixed, with some participants suggesting that additional capacity and more available appointments would help reduce waiting times. 

Among those who had used CAMHS previously, feedback was generally positive. Participants described the service as good and appreciated its convenient location, regular appointments, and supportive staff. Staff were particularly praised for being friendly and approachable.

However, some concerns were raised about waiting times, communication, and the level of support available. One long-term service user expressed frustration about not receiving a diagnosis and feeling moved between services without clear progress. Participants suggested that improvements could include providing more communication and updates, increasing staffing levels, offering broader support, and reducing waiting times.

Responses regarding involvement in care and treatment decisions were mixed. Some participants felt fully involved in their care, while others reported receiving insufficient information about treatment plans or a lack of regular updates. 

Overall, Healthwatch found that users valued the staff, location and regularity of appointments, but identified waiting times and communication as areas of concern. Due to the limited number of participants, Healthwatch considered the findings inconclusive and recommended undertaking a further visit during a busier clinic period to obtain a more representative picture of patient experience. No formal recommendations were made at this stage.