Child and adolescent patients (under 18years)

NHS Forth Valley mental health emergencies
NHS Forth Valley

The same principles of the PEP apply to children and adolescents. There are some additional arrangement that will be put in place for children and adolescents which are outlined in this section.

Emergency referrals

Monday to Friday, 9am to 3.30pm:

  • Emergency referrals will be seen by the Intensive Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (ICAMHS).
  • Although 3.30pm is the cut-off for referrals, there is consultant psychiatry input until 5pm.
  • Referrals should be made by calling 01786-454546 and asking for iCAMHS or emailing FV-UHB.icamhs@nhs.net (needs correct email)

Outwith working hours:

Emergency mental health assessments will be undertaken by MHAATS and the case referred back to CAMHS afterwards.

Admissions

  • Patients under the age of 18 should access a specialist CAMHS bed in the regional unit, unless the patient is in the perinatal period.
  • NHS Forth Valley does not have a specific CAMHS bed. Specialist CAMHS beds can only be accessed by CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrists.
  • Where a young person (aged 16 or 17 years) needs admission to hospital this will be to Ward 3, preferably into the annex, which affords a degree of separation for the young person from the adult ward.
  • Patients under the age of 16years will be admitted to the paediatric unit unless there are exceptional circumstances that mean this is not safe. After discussion with the appropriate on call manager and on-call consultant psychiatrist the bed in ward 3 of FVRH may be used.
  • CAMHS will review all admissions to the adult Mental Health Unit, FVRH, the next working day, when arrangements for discharge or transfer will be arranged.

 

CAMHS assessment and actions following emergency admission

CAMHS assessment will include:

  • risk assessment, safety planning and management plans if the patient needs to remain within the hospital environment.
  • support for hospital staff and to families of children and young people.
  • arrangements for further assessment (e.g. psychiatric assessment, mental health act assessment) and follow up in relation to any mental health needs identified.

Following assessment the CAMHS clinician will:

  • Plan to discharge the young person home with the support of CAMHS or other agencies as an alternative to admission.
  • Plan to admit the young person to an inpatient (tier 4) bed, if it is unsafe to support the young person in the community.
  • Plan for Mental Health Act Assessment and admission to an inpatient bed.
  • Plan to admit the young person to an acute paediatric ward either to address physical health issues and/or to allow time to carry out a fuller mental health assessment.
  • Further assess under the direction of the CAMHS consultant.

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 28/05/2021

Author(s): Julia Ferrari, Joe McGhee, Duncan Westall, William McFadden, Heather Tainsh , Susan Sutherland, Marie White , Anne Cook, Justin McNicholl, Douglas Armstrong, Dr Nabila Muzaffar, Dr Stuart Affleck, Dr David Cumming, Andrew Angus, Jackie Maher, Rose Mills, Vincent Hughes..