Latest news with #CAMHS
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Minister admits ‘work needed' to improve neurodivergent support
During a ministerial statement in the chamber on Thursday, Mr Arthur said: 'I recognise significant work is needed in this area. "I do not underestimate how much work is needed to ensure that neurodivergent young people are able to access the support they need when they need it. 'This work will not happen overnight. It will require collaboration and a range of partners working together.' 'I recognise that a formal diagnosis can be important to an individual's identity and understanding of themselves or their child, however, support should be provided on a basis of need not diagnosis.' Mr Arthur also said the government would provide £500,000 of additional funding this year to deliver improvements to the support and services available to children and families. Earlier this week, the report, Experiences of Autism Assessment and Diagnosis in Scotland, surveyed 624 people and it paints a stark picture of delays, refusals, and a lack of support in the current system. Scotland's autism organisations have since warned of a 'highly inconsistent' and 'failing' system with the report pointing to individuals waiting as long as seven years to receive an autism diagnosis. Some 65% of the 624 respondents to the survey were autistic adults with 35% comprising of family members and carers of autistic people. Of those surveyed, nearly two-thirds (62%) reported a lack of information about the process, including a lack of guidance and support. Scottish Labour MSP also hit out at the government for what they named as its "Orwellian" response to the report. READ MORE: Individuals in Scotland waiting seven years for autism diagnosis Labour MSP slams Scottish Government over autism support Autism crisis in Scotland: Can Scot Gov learn from a golden retriever? In his response, newly-appointed Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said accusations that the Scottish Government has 'removed' children from CAMHS waiting lists are false. However, Mr Johnson hit back, saying people have been removed from waiting lists for referral. "They have been removed," he told The Herald, "CAMHS may not be the right service, but they haven't specified what is the right service. "Right now it is impossible, either as a matter of policy or a matter of fact, to get an assessment for autism or ADHD as a child or adult. "Health boards have either stopped taking referrals or have such long waits they might as well have. 'It is Orwellian [from the Government]. To say it is false, just on a strict measurement, it is a fact." Today, Mr Arthur re-iterated his comments that they were "incorrect assertions" that young people are being moved off waiting lists to meet CAMHS waiting times targets. However, Scottish Labour MSP Paul Sweeney said he was "dismayed" at this statement from the minister as he said "it's a matter of fact not assertion". "Children get removed off the CAMHS list to different pathways with often indefinite waiting times. "It's struck me as a bit of Orwellian Double Think." 'Some children are still waiting too long to receive the support they need.' Data on neurodevelopmental diagnostic waiting times is currently not publicly available. In the chamber, the minister admitted 'further work is needed' to improve the quality of data in this area. Conservative MSP Brian Whittle accused the Scottish Government of 'cherry-picking and manipulating' data to 'fit their narrative'. Later, the party's public health spokesperson added: 'This SNP government are not being honest with the public and families over why there has been such a massive increase in demand for diagnosis in such a short period of time. 'In typical SNP fashion they have failed to be transparent over the data. 'It is a disgrace that fewer than a third of children were seen for a neurodevelopmental assessment within the recommended timescales in March 2024. 'The SNP government must do more to support children with neurodevelopmental disorders by providing more resources to support activities in communities up and down the country.' The new taskforce on improving neurodivergent support for young people will be chaired jointly by Fiona Davis, chief executive of NHS Highland and Dr. Lynne Binnie, Edinburgh Council's head of Education for Inclusion.
ITV News
5 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Scotland's mental wellbeing minister apologises to family of teenager who took his own life
Scotland's mental wellbeing minister has apologised to the family of a teenager who took his own life after spending time in an adult psychiatric ward. Tom Arthur also said he would meet with Harris Macdonell's family and admitted the lack of age-appropriate beds for young people suffering from severe mental health issues was 'unacceptable.' He was responding to calls from Harris' mother Jane, for 'real action' to address the lack of beds for children and young people. She said: 'My message to them is that we don't want to hear any more platitudes about this. We want some real action and we want a strategy for how they are going to address this. I realise it is a complicated issue, but there have to be better options than what Harris experienced and that's the bottom line.' Mr Arthur said: 'It shouldn't have happened and I am deeply sorry that it did happen. There is significant investment underway to expand the range of services that CAMHS can provide and that includes acute inpatient psychiatric support as well.' He added: 'What happened to Harris was completely unacceptable. I think the people in Scotland can have confidence in our health and social care service, but when the service provided is not what's required and when there are failings, lessons must be learned and I am committed to making sure that we do learn those lessons.' Harris Macdonell died on August 19th 2020, at the age of 19, near his home in Lilliesleaf in the Scottish Borders. In 2018, aged 16, Harris spent nine nights in Huntlyburn, NHS Borders' adult psychiatric ward near Melrose, before a bed became available in a young persons unit in Edinburgh. Last week a Fatal Accident Inquiry said that it was 'wholly inappropriate' for young people to be treated in adult wards. It concluded Harris' death couldn't have been prevented. Jane, who worked as a paediatric consultant for 30 years, is convinced her son's experience in an adult unit was responsible for him failing to talk with health professionals in the final months of his life. She said: 'He was never the same boy again. He found it difficult to attend appointments, he gave very little away, he was guarded. I think his reluctance to engage was really fear to engage with them from that point onwards.' 'The absolute bottom line is that you have a young person in an adult ward, who's becoming distressed, that needs to be an emergency. That's not acceptable.' Figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives show that, since Harris was in Huntlyburn ward in 2018, there have been 57 admissions of children and young people. Official figures show that across Scotland, in the year up to March 2024, 59 under-18s were treated in adult facilities. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We expect children and young people who need inpatient mental health care to be looked after in age-appropriate specialist facilities. 'On occasions where young people are placed within an adult ward this will be monitored and reviewed regularly to ensure that the young person is receiving the most appropriate treatment and care.' NHS Borders said: 'The purpose of the Inquiry was to establish the circumstances of Harris' death and to consider what steps, if any, may be taken to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances. Our staff have engaged fully and openly with the Inquiry. We respect the Sheriff's determination that, in considering the evidence submitted, Harris' death could not have been predicted or prevented.' Samaritans Samaritans provides round-the-clock support for people when they need it most. You can call them 24 hours a day on 116 123. They also have tips if you're concerned about someone you know. Mind Mind provides advice and support to help anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They also campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. You can call them Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm on 0300 123 3393. You can also text them on 86463. Papyrus An organisation aimed at helping people under the age of 35. You can call them on 0800 068 4141. You can call them on 0800 1111 at any time. They also have a 1-2-1 counsellor chat online.
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Labour MSP slams Scottish Government over autism support
Mr Johnson, who has ADHD, said it feels as though the Scottish Government "want us to disappear" through their response to the report and what he described as a lack of urgency to act on problems highlighted. His comments come after Scotland's Autism organisations published a major survey report on Wednesday which found that some individuals are waiting over seven years for an autism diagnosis. It also found that half of respondents (50.65%) said it was hard or very hard to get a referral for an autism assessment, with just over a fifth (21%) saying they had been refused a referral at some point. Responding to the report, Mr Johnson said: 'This is a really chilling read. 'When people seek a diagnosis that is normally because of crisis, whether that is family crisis. For young people, school refusal. For adults, that could be relationships or work. 'So through these waits, you are prolonging that crisis. I am very concerned about all of this." READ MORE: Mr Johnson also said the focus on privatisation in the report was an important point. Just over a fifth (21%) of survey respondents had sought a private diagnosis, with long waiting times and the absence of a local adult assessment pathway cited as key factors. The average cost of a private diagnosis reported was £1,540 with the highest reported cost being £4,500. A total of 39% of those who had sought a private diagnosis reported that this had caused them financial hardship. Mr Johnson said: 'You are essentially saying that neurodevelopmental conditions are now not within the scope of the NHS and it is in essence privatising the provision of that healthcare for those people for whom it is an absolutely essential lifeline and that is unacceptable.' The Scottish Government has since said long waits for support are "unacceptable" and they are "working to improve access to the best possible care". In his response to the report, newly-appointed Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said accusations that the Scottish Government has 'removed' children from CAMHS waiting lists are false. However, Mr Johnson has since hit back saying that CAMHS specific waiting lists were not referred to in the report as being the place where children were 'removed' from and people have been removed from waiting lists for referral. "They have been removed. "CAMHS may not be the right service, but they haven't specified what is the right service," Mr Johnson told The Herald. "Right now it is impossible, either as a matter of policy or a matter of fact, to get an assessment for autism or ADHD as a child or adult. "Health boards have either stopped taking referrals or have such long waits they might as well have. 'It is Orwellian [from the Government]. To say it is false, just on a strict measurement, it is a fact." Last month, John Swinney told parliament that assessment referrals would not be accepted without a co-occurring mental health condition. Mr Johnson believes his own condition and autism have been neglected by the government. The MSP told The Herald: 'These conditions very often get described as invisible disabilities. "Right now it feels like the Scottish Government wants us to disappear because I don't see where we are in their plans at all." He added: 'Alternative pathways for a diagnosis of autism or ADHD have not been created. 'For new referrals like in big parts of Scotland such as Tayside there is not presently a route to an assessment or diagnosis on the NHS and there are other parts of Scotland where they are not accepting new referrals, such as in Lothian. 'In most of Scotland, the wait time is being measured in decades. I have got constituents who are already on waiting lists who have been told they will be for 17 years. 'That just means it is de facto not available.' The National Neurodevelopmental Specification for children and young people sets out the standards all children's services should follow to ensure those with neurodevelopmental support needs receive the support they need. The Scottish Government has said this makes clear that support should be put in place to meet the child or young person's requirements when they need it, rather than be dependent on a formal diagnosis. However, Mr Johnson argues this does not help those who are unsure about their condition. The Scottish Labour MSP said: 'The line recently that the government has been using about not needing a diagnosis to access help is again Orwellian. 'You need a diagnosis to know what help you need. You're actually asking people to guess and stumble upon what their condition is. 'It is also wrong.' The MSP said a broad range of local authority guidelines on additional help access often stipulates a diagnosis is required. The government's handling of ADHD is also a concern for Mr Johnson. A Holyrood committee has just launched an inquiry into treatment pathways and support for both ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 'For ADHD, medication is a key line of therapy," Mr Johnson said, "That's what the NICE guidelines state. You cannot get medication without a diagnosis and currently on the NHS that requires specialist, secondary care diagnosis from a psychiatrist. 'To say you don't need a diagnosis to access help is just factually incorrect. 'By not providing the therapy or assessment, you are going to cause those comorbid mental health conditions. Unassessed autism and ADHD is a massive cause of mental health problems. 'The Scottish Government are wishing away a problem and pretending they are not causing more issues and I worry about what this means for the mental health of our young people in Scotland.' The Labour MSP said the Scottish Government must recognise the 'crisis' in support and act urgently. 'They need to recognise the crisis. We need a pathway to assessment and diagnosis for those that need it. 'There's an urgency that's lacking here and that's just going to compound the crisis that so many people will be facing.' The 'Experiences of Autism Assessment and Diagnosis in Scotland' report was undertaken by Autism Rights Group Highland (ARGH), Autistic Mutual Aid Society Edinburgh (AMASE) and Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics (SEMA) in partnership with Scottish Autism. These organisations are calling for a nationwide guarantee regarding timely access to assessments, an improved experience for people going through the process, and better provision of post-diagnostic support. They also want the government to introduce a national neurodevelopmental assessment guarantee, meaning any adult in Scotland can access an assessment pathway should they need to.
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Suicide-risk young daughter was refused NHS mental-health counselling because she goes to private school, mother claims
A suicidal young girl was refused NHS mental-health counselling because she attends private school, her mother claims. Because the youngster was being bullied at a state school, her despairing parents had only just moved her to a private school. But when she was finally assessed by mental-health services at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust after months on the waiting list, her mother claims she was told: 'If you can afford private school fees, you can afford private counselling.' The woman, from Somerset, who wishes to remain anonymous to avoid further prejudice towards her daughter, said: 'I was shocked and incensed. 'I was even told that if I had kept my daughter at a state school, they would have helped her. It's blatant discrimination.' The girl, now 12, had been diagnosed as autistic a year earlier, but her symptoms had become more severe and her mental health had deteriorated. She was referred to the Child and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS), which is part of the NHS, for help with her anxiety while she waited for treatment for her autism. Her mother said: 'I couldn't work any more because I was looking after my daughter and fighting to get her the care she needed. My husband works in construction. 'We are not rich. The only reason we moved her to a prep school is because we inherited a small amount of money, and we were so worried about her going downhill in her previous school.' She said that after being bullied, her daughter was at a 'very low ebb', adding: 'It culminated in her wanting to kill herself. 'I was even worried about leaving her alone upstairs.' After months on the CAMHS waiting list the woman and her daughter had a video-call assessment with a senior mental health practitioner. The mother said: 'We were desperate, but she spent ten minutes talking to my daughter and it was clear she wasn't interested. She displayed no empathy whatsoever. 'She said that if we could afford private school fees we could afford to pay for private counselling. It was such an arrogant attitude. 'She assumed we were rich – we aren't. We pay our taxes, and the NHS should provide for all children.' Her GP received a letter from the CAMHS practitioner written on the same day, that said: 'Based on the additional information gathered, we will be closing the referral to CAMHS.' The mother said: 'They failed our child. I remember her sneering tone.' Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said: 'There is no policy, formal or informal, to exclude children who attend private schools.' It follows last week's Mail on Sunday exclusive about an eight-year-old boy in Richmond, south-west London, who was refused an NHS assessment for a disabling joint condition because he went to a private school. Last night, Kingston and Richmond NHS Trust said it was investigating.
Sunday World
10-06-2025
- Sunday World
Joseph McGinty: Brave Donegal woman waives anonymity to name cousin who sexually assaulted her
Joseph McGinty sneaked into the girl's room and touched her on the bottom beneath her nightdress and then touched her breast area. A young Co Donegal woman has said she will not allow a sex assault on her to define her as her older cousin was jailed for 15 months for the crime. Brave Louise McMenamin waived her anonymity so her cousin Joseph McGinty could be named in court. Ms McMenamin was just 10 and McGinty was aged 14 when he assaulted her during a sleepover at her home. McGinty, now 27, had pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Louise McMenamin on an unknown date between June 1st and September 1st, 2012. However, after a three day trial at Donegal Circuit Court, McGinty was found guilty by a jury of the allegation. McGinty, from Ballyshannon, was accused of touching the then ten year old girl on her bum and beneath her breast area while he was visiting the girl in her house on a sleepover. McGinty sneaked into the girl's room and touched her on the bottom beneath her nightdress and then touched her breast area. Details of the incident were given at the sentencing hearing by Garda Catherine Henry of Ballyshannon Garda Station. Joseph McGinty News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday June 10 After touching the young girl on her bum and under her chest, the court heard the young girl woke up and McGinty, with an address at Abberlands, Ballyshannon, hid down behind the bed and she could hear him breathing. She initially pretended to be asleep but when he got up to leave she asked him what he was doing in her room. The girl immediately went downstairs and told her father what had happened and he took the girl into her mother and a complaint was later made. The victim, who told the court that she wanted to be named so that McGinty could be named also, read a heart-wrenching victim impact statement about how the episode had impacted her life so deeply in so many negative ways. But Ms Louise McMenamin also told McGinty how she has now "been courageous enough to hold you accountable, seek justice and stand up to you." She outlined the night she was set upon as a child in detail as she fought back tears in the witness box. She told how she has spent years in therapy with both the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and also the Rape Crisis Centre (RCC) trying to remedy her anxiety and depression but that she still cannot tell herself that she is no longer in danger and safe from McGinty. She added "What you did to me, as a helpless 10 year old child has shaped the young woman I am now, and I hate that you have that power. I will always wonder, and never have the answers, about the person I would have been if you had not taken advantage of me at my most vulnerable. "It has changed the way I look at the world, the way I look at people. You knew right from wrong, and the poor decision you made that night has left me with a lifetime of fallout. I still experience crippling anxiety if I meet you in public, and although I now face up to you as an adult, it is the child in me that has suffered this pain that you caused that I am fighting for. "I have carried the guilt of this burden for almost 13 years. The guilt of getting into trouble, the guilt of taking our cousins and extended family away from my brothers, the guilt of knowing that my parents feel like they have failed me. The guilt of missing valuable years without grandparents, the guilt of isolating myself from family and friends that did stand by me. The guilt of still letting this, letting you, control me and so much of my life all these years later. "I am choosing now to no longer carry this guilt, because it is not mine. You caused this, the weight of it has been suffocating and made me feel worthless, I will leave it behind." Ms McMenamin said there were times when questioned if she would be strong enough to face her abuser. But, she added, at aged 23 years, she is thankful that she fought her corner, told her truth and sought justice. And she thanked all those who stood beside her as she sought that justice and revealed how she is now graduating from university. She concluded "This may seem a short incident, but it has been my whole life from the night it took place. I do not deserve to feel this way anymore, I want to move on and start living my life for me, with this chapter closed. "I did not deserve to suffer due to your actions, to be shunned by our family for telling the truth and miss out on so many opportunities because of fear. I will no longer carry the shame of what you put me through, because I did nothing wrong. "It may have taken years, but I have realised that I am so much more than what you did to me. I cannot undo what you have done, and this will always be part of me, but I will not let it define me. "I survived what happened, and I will be a voice for other girls. I will not collapse under this trauma. I will continue to show bravery, move on and make younger me proud of the woman I have become, despite all the obstacles in my way." Joseph McGinty. Photo: North West Newspix The mother of Joseph McGinty also took to the witness stand and told how the incident had had a massive impact on both families. She said that as a mother and an aunt she recognised "the trauma that both of these children have been through." She added that their grandparents had passed away with this matter on their minds. Mrs McGinty said she empathised with the trauma that Louise had suffered but that she was asking the court for leniency for her son. She reflected on how her son had grown up from being a happy boy to waking up with nightmares and being prescribed anti-depressant medication and developing severe eczema. However, he went through college and qualified as a civil engineer who is a popular worker within his company who has the full support of his boss. Mrs McGinty added that her son also respects the verdict of the jury in his case. Barrister for the accused, Mr Colm Smyth, SC, said this was indeed a tragic case which has had a debilitating effect on the extended families. Ms Smyth said it has been recognised the trauma which the victim has gone through but he said his client had suffered too and asked the court to take into account that the offence was committed when he was fourteen years old. He added that the level of maturity must come into play and he produced case law on this aspect of the case. He said McGinty respects the verdict of the court and has the capacity to take it in that time period but again stressed his client was at a very early stage of his development, either sexual or otherwise, at the time. He asked the court to consider a non-custodial sentence given the particular circumstances adding that McGinty has already suffered considerably and has carried the burden since his conviction. Passing sentence, Judge John Aylmer said the aggravating factors in the case was that the victim was only ten years old at the time and the "very severe impact" the offending has had on her as he made reference to her victim impact statement. He referred to the consequences of the assault and how Ms McMenamin still suffered and had to engage in counselling to cope with anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder right throughout her education and has bravely struggled with all those effects. The Judge said he had to decide what the headline sentence for McGinty should be before factoring in that he was only 14 years at the time and said that if it was an adult who snuck into the bedroom then without hesitation he would impose a sentence of three years in prison. He added the law establishes the fact that the accused was 14 years old although he added that there was no evidence as to how sophisticated a young man he was in his development. The fact that he snuck in and sought to commit the offence when Ms McMenamin was asleep and then hid behind the bed when she woke up, indicated that he had full awareness of what he was doing, added Judge Aylmer. He said this was the only evidence he had to make a determination as to the accused's culpability. He said he was entitled to have his own experience of life and of fourteen year olds and add that to his assessment, and with the guidance of authorities open to him, Judge Aylmer said he deemed it appropriate to reduce the sentence by 50% to one of 18 months in prison. He added the few mitigating factors that exist mandate a reduction to one of 15 months in prison, a reduction of one sixth. He then said the question then arises if some or all of the sentence could be suspended as McGinty had come before the courts with no previous convictions and having no adverse attention since the incident. He said he had taken into account that he was a minor and allowed him a 50% reduction. Because of the gravity of the case and there is no admission of guilt and no expression of remorse for the victim to avail of, as well as nothing before the court about rehabilitation for you, Judge Aylmer said this is not a case where the court could justify a suspended sentence. He sentenced McGinty to 15 months in prison and placed him on the sex offender's register for a period of five years.
