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NI trust cuts weekend hours on youth mental health crisis scheme
The Western Health and Social Care Trust said Card Before You Leave now runs weekdays only for some young people, citing savings, BBC News NI reported.
- New headline Was: “Concern over cut to young people mental health crisis scheme”
- Our desk filed its story
The Western Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland has reduced hours on Card Before You Leave, a scheme that gives young people in mental health crisis at an emergency department a written specialist appointment before they go home, BBC News NI reported1.
The trust said the change, introduced in August as part of wider savings, means the scheme now runs Monday to Friday and not on weekends or bank holidays1.
It said the cut applies only to young people who present out of hours and are assessed as low risk, who are now seen by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services on the next working day rather than the next calendar day1.
Arrangements for young people assessed as high risk have not changed, the trust said, and it remains committed to safe mental health services for children and young people1.
Londonderry GP Dr Joe McEvoy told BBC Radio Foyle the reduction was further "chipping away at an already threadbare service" and that weekends and bank holidays are peak times for distress1.
Foyle DUP MLA Julie Middleton said the hours should be restored, and SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said parents should not be deterred from seeking help1.
Other Northern Ireland trusts have not changed the scheme1. Northern Ireland health trusts in August set out plans for savings of up to 12 percent over three years amid an £800 million funding gap cited by Permanent Health Secretary Mike Farrar1.