Mental Health Matters: How 1,000 patients fell through the cracks (HSJ, 7 March 2023)

Summary

Last week, one of the country’s largest child and adolescent mental health services, Forward Thinking Birmingham, run by Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Foundation Trust, was rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission.

The inspection report makes for concerning reading — not least because it speaks to a range of issues being experienced by other providers of CAMHS services across the country.

CQC inspectors warned there were not enough nursing and support staff to keep people using community services from avoidable harm. Nurses told the CQC that vacancies in the service impacted on people being allocated a care coordinator — and staff were leaving largely due to handling caseloads they felt were unsafe.

Part of HSJ’s Mental Health Matters fortnightly briefing, covering safety, quality, performance and finances in the mental health sector.