Transition out of CAMHS
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Healthwatch Manchester’s board identified the transition from Child & Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS) into Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) as an area of work at the March 2021 board meeting and this issue has remained a priority.
An initial project commenced in June 2021, which comprised of a survey aimed at gathering the experiences of people who had gone through the transition process in recent years. However, uptake on the survey was low and consequently Healthwatch could not make any firm conclusions due to the small sample size.
In 2022, they undertook desk-based research, aimed at summarising the current transition process and any issues which may arise for service users. The piece of research focussed solely on the transition out of CAMHS and into the adult mental health service (AMHS).
Transition from CAMHS into AMHS continues to be a challenge, not only in Manchester but across the country. The number of children and young people requiring support from mental health services is growing and these numbers are expected to rise in the coming years. It is therefore important to ensure that there is a robust transition process in place for those young people who do require support from AMHS, once they reach the age of 18.
Challenges to the smooth transition into AMHS arises from a lack of awareness within staff of the transition protocols and the difference in culture between the two services.
The research contains three recommendations about transition protocols, engagement and collaborative working.