As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, NHS organisations have been developing innovative
new ways of supporting the mental health needs of young people and their families.
Staff working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have been turning
to digital solutions to ensure these needs are met, and have become ever more collaborative in sharing learning and excellent practice for the benefit of young people.
This spirit of partnership was underscored at this week’s ‘CAMHS in the Time of Covid’
online event, which brought together health and care professionals from across the country, alongside parents, social care and education professionals and commissioners to discuss the challenges they have experienced during the pandemic and how they are being
overcome.
The event was hosted by @CAMHSNetwork, and co-designed through a series of Zoom
meetings with some lived experience input, by staff from Midlands Partnership NHS
Foundation Trust (MPFT), North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust (NSCHT),
Hampshire CAMHS & Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Pencil Me In.
The event was designed to provide a networking opportunity for people with an interest of
CAMHS from across the country to learn and share with one another. The morning was
highly interactive using breakout rooms to provide opportunities to share and spread best
practice. Discussions focussed on a number of areas, including the growing use of digital
technology, staff wellbeing, developing clinical skills, working with schools to more effectively support young people, and supporting parents and families to become experts by experience. The event produced a ‘gallery of greatness’ to share some examples of best
practice.
Event co-organiser Lyse Edwards, Head of Operations for Children and Families services at
MPFT said: “Covid has disrupted previous ways of working and how we deliver services has
radically changed in a very short period of time. This event started with a tweet reaching out to find out how other CAMHS services were managing with so much being digital and soon developed into what turned out to be a really informative and affirming session.”
Ann Cox, Consultant Nurse & Clinical Lead at NSCHT, who also co-organised the online
event said: “It’s important, especially at this time to know we can turn to each other to share what has worked well, alongside what’s maybe not worked as well and the learning fromthat. Supporting the mental health needs of children and young people is our collective
priority, and I was delighted so many colleagues were able to join us on the day to explore
how we can improve this further.”
