Child with mental health condition faces 79-hour A&E waiting time
Children with mental health conditions attending hospital face days long waits in A&E, data revealed on Wednesday.
At one hospital trust a young patient waited more than 79 hours before seeing a doctor for treatment, according to research by the Labour Party.
Shadow Minister for Mental Health Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said the Government must “get a grip” on the crisis, which is “costing lives”.
Twenty nine NHS Hospital Trusts were asked what the longest stays in A&E were for a child who presented with a mental health issue, over the past 12 months.
In two cases, at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, a patient waited more than 79 hours to see a doctor, while a further two saw a wait of more than 50 hours.
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay and North Bristol NHS Trust both saw children waiting over 60 hours, while Medway NHS Foundation Trust had a child patient spend more than 45 hours in A&E.
It follows news that more than a third of children were being turned away from mental health services, despite a referral from a professional, in 2020/21.
Tooting MP Dr Khan, who still takes on shifts in A&E, said: "Children and young people are having their futures damaged.
“It is well known that adverse childhood experiences impact a child’s mental health and their future potential.
“The lack of mental health support for young people, not only affects their health, but has a knock on impact on their future prospects.
“This Conservative Government continues to fail future generations – they need to get a grip of the mental health crisis – it’s costing lives."
Labour has pledged to place specialist mental health support in every school, recruit 8,500 mental health staff during a first term and guarantee NHS mental health support within a month.
The Government has said it is continuing to drive progress on enhancing the availability of mental health support "through expansion and transformation" of services, including enhanced community support for adults living with severe mental illnesses and expanded support in schools.
