Staffing of CAMHS

WQ.75/2021

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND HOUSING BY DEPUTY K.G. PAMPLIN OF ST. SAVIOUR

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 22nd FEBRUARY 2021 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 1st MARCH 2021

Question

Will the Minister provide a full breakdown of the staffing levels at C.A.M.H.S. (the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service), the number of referrals to the service from 1st March 2020 to date, and the current waiting time for an appointment?

Answer

Recruitment to posts in CAMHS can be very challenging (due to their specialist nature) not only in Jersey but other jurisdictions. The restrictions experienced though 2020 as a result of the pandemic have made it difficult for some staff with family in the UK to keep personal and family relationships as they would like, this has meant that a small number of staff have decided that their future was not in Jersey.

Within the last two weeks CAMHS have been recruiting for nursing posts and have successfully recruited to four posts with the new staff taking up posts after serving their required notice periods. These four staff are on island and so understand Jersey life and have some knowledge of the service.

Additionally, there is detailed work underway on implementation of the new redesign which will see an expansion  of  services  and  resources  available  which  will  provide  early  intervention  and  intensive community based support services.

Full breakdown of staffing levels

The  current  establishment  is  21.35  full-time  equivalent  (FTE)  posts.  This  includes  posts  of  child psychiatrists and a medical secretary who remain employed by the Health and Community Services Department in accordance with other medical posts in the Government of Jersey.

There are currently five posts of the permanent establishment covered by agency staff, one post vacant, and one practitioner on sick leave.

Resource has been provided by the Government of Jersey in recognition of the increase level of need and referral during the pandemic and through 2020. This resource has been used to temporarily employ an additional 5.4 full-time equivalent temporary staff posts. These posts are primarily focused on providing a Duty and Assessment Team which will assist with the outstanding increase in need, with a focus on supporting children, families and young people in the community and additionally supporting young people who may require in-patient care.

Numbers of referrals to the service

Referrals to CAMHS in 2020 have increased on previous years. In 2017, they were 541 referrals, 2018- 579, 2019- 661 and in 2020 they were 683. Like other jurisdictions CAMHS referrals reduced during the first lockdown': in April there were 19 and in May 2020, 27.

Referrals to CAMHS at Month End

100

90

91

80

70 75

71

67

60

57

50 54 52

47

40

39

30

28 NUMBER2 OF0 REFERRALS AT MONTH END

19

10

0

March April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan

Current waiting times

The mean current waiting time from referral to treatment is 12 weeks. Redesign

There is detailed implementation plan underway to develop the structures and new establishment based on work through the redesign. This will include:

• Implementing an early intervention service focused on emotional and mental health for children of all ages

• The current service refocused appropriately as a specialist service, with improved transition services

• Implementing a community-based intensive support service, working across seven days to reduce escalation of issues and avoid the need for more specialist support

• Quality and performance management systems are robust and used appropriately.

Impacts are likely to be seen in the short, medium and long term depending on the individual, their needs and services provided.