Health minister Rosie Winterton has introduced an amendment that would place a duty on health services to provide a suitable environment for under-18s to receive treatment.
The Government had rejected an earlier amendment, introduced in the Lords, that would have banned young people from being held on adult wards (YPN, 16-22 May, p2).
Despite this, Kathryn Pugh, director of policy at youth mental health charity YoungMinds, welcomed the latest amendment. "It will now be a legal requirement for primary care trusts to tell child and adolescent mental health services and local authorities where they have bought beds and to ensure they have the space and beds available. There is a need now for an implementation plan to take it further," she said.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
