A briefing for commissioners of Adult Mental health Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
This briefing has been written to support commissioners of both Adult Mental health Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to prepare to meet the requirements of a new duty within the Mental Health Act 2007, amending the 1983 Act, to admit and treat patients aged under 18 into an environment in hospital which is suitable having regard to their age (subject to their needs). The Government has committed to commencing this duty in April 2010, with the purpose of preventing the inappropriate admission of children and young people to adult psychiatric wards. By working together, commissioners of both Adult Mental Health Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services can develop more effective services to maintain young people in the community when it is safe to do so, and appropriate inpatient resources to meet their needs in a crisis or for medium to long term treatment. As well as making the case for joint working to support under 18s, the briefing contains examples of current practice, signposts commissioners to products which have been designed to help them and questions they need to consider. The briefing includes an FAQ section, and an action checklist which can be used to create local action plans.
Hard copies of the briefing are available from magdalena.milejczak@nmhdu.org.uk