Our achievements

Posted on 20 Jun 2019

The Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Services (CAMHS) Crisis and Liaison team has been shortlisted in two categories at the Nursing Times Awards 2019. 

The prestigious awards celebrate innovations that are improving nurse-led care through the NHS and independent healthcare sector. 

The team has been shortlisted in the Nursing in Mental Health and Team of the Year categories for their Crisis and Liaison service which supports young people experiencing a mental health crisis. 

The CAMHS Crisis and Liaison team, set up three and a half years ago, ensures young people, under 18, have immediate access to mental health services, where previously the waiting time was a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks and immediate support would mean attending the hospital emergency department.  The team has highly trained and experienced nurses who can offer young people an urgent appointment and ongoing support within four hours but most within one hour. Young people can be treated at clinics, at home or school to prevent the need for further CAMHS involvement.  

The team also offers extended hours over seven days, rather than the traditional 9 to 5 Monday to Friday hours, so that they have the capacity to not only see them urgently but can travel to see them in a place that suits them. 

Amanda Forster, nurse specialist in the CAMHS Crisis and Liaison team, comments: 

“It’s fantastic that we have been recognised for our work that supports young people in crisis.  The team now receives three times as many referrals, showing the increased need for the service. 

“We want to ensure that young people are seen by the right service at the right time and that there is more instant access to services that they need when experiencing a mental health crisis and to prevent further crises. 

“We aim to reduce the amount of young people experiencing a mental health crisis and when they do, offer a seamless service that can see them urgently over seven days every day if needed to prevent decline, improve wellbeing and decrease risk to themselves and others.”

Dr Deborah Wildgoose, Interim Executive Director of Nursing, adds:

“It’s fantastic news to be shortlisted for two Nursing Times awards this year.

"We consistently strive to overcome challenges in order to deliver high quality care and the team has really helped to improve outcomes for our service users. The staff involved should feel very proud.”

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 30 October. 

For more information, visit  www.awards.nursingtimes.net