Improve NHS mental health funding or more children will die by suicide, says coroner

A London coroner has warned the health secretary that preventable child suicides are likely to increase unless the government provides more funding for mental health services.

Nadia Persaud, the east London area coroner, told Steve Barclay that the suicide of Allison Aules, 12, in July 2022 highlighted the risk of similar deaths “unless action is taken”.

In a damning prevention of future deaths report addressed to Barclay, NHS England and two royal colleges, Persaud said the “under-resourcing of CAMHS [child and adolescent mental health services] contributed to delays in Allison being assessed by the mental health team”.

An inquest into Allison’s death last month found that a series of failures by North East London NHS foundation trust (NELFT) contributed to her death.

In her report, Persaud said delays and errors that emerged in the inquest exposed wider concerns about funding and recruitment problems in mental health services.

“The failings occurred with a children and adolescent mental health service which was significantly under-resourced. Under-resourcing of CAMHS services is not confined to this local trust but is a matter of national concern,” she said.

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Source: The Guardian, 14 September 2023