Cumbria CAMHS in need of 'radical restructure'

The review, which was ordered by the Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group and Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, warns that the services are in need of “radical restructuring” due to failures in commissioning, resourcing and clinical practice.

Among its shortfalls, the review team found the service had less than two thirds of the number of staff required, in comparison to national averages, while clinical data was recorded in an “inadequate” fashion.

Staff were found to be struggling to keep up with rising demand for services, in particular for young people that have problems with self-harm and a rising number of children are identified with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

The review also warned that there was a “marked deficit” in the number of staff experienced in working with young people with “major mental health difficulties”, such as severe depression, eating disorders and psychosis.