Six new clinicians to assess child mental health

There were 815 referrals to the service between January and August this year

The Isle of Man's health body is introducing six additional mental health clinicians for children and young adults as part of an initiative to tackle waiting lists.

It follows a £500,000 cash injection to the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for the roles to assist with assessing autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

While recruitment to the roles was being finalised, the more than 800 on the waiting list meant the initiative was expected to take 12 months to complete, Manx Care said.

CAMHS is set to contact families to agree assessment dates from November, with priority would be given to those with the most acute need or longest wait time.

A response to a freedom of information request published last month revealed 815 young people had been referred to the service for assessment as of August this year, which followed on from 798 referrals in 2023.

Calls to the service

The money for the new posts was part of a £4m boost to tackle child mental health issues announced by the Department of Health and Social Care in June.

At the time the department said other further £3.4m would be spent on creating a new focus on early intervention, community based support and a dedicated provision within school sand colleges.

A spokeswoman for Manx Care said in recent months the CAMHS team had experienced "extremely high levels of calls from families seeking information regarding the status of their original referrals".

Parents and guardians have been asked for the time being only to contact the service in relation to children who were already actively receiving treatment.

Individuals offered an appointment that is no longer needed have also been asked to cancel ahead of time, to make sure the slot can be offered to another family.