Committee Chair has called for action by Health
Secretary after the Government published
its response to a report on the mental
health care and treatment of children and young people in which
it failed to make decisions on nearly half of the
recommendations.
A call for a ban on the use of prone restraint on children and
young people in all inpatient settings and in transit is one of
the recommendations without a decision. In a letter to , said having waited more than
three months for a response it was not acceptable to be told that
the Department of Health and Social Care was still considering
these recommendations.
Health and Social Care Committee Chair Rt Hon MP said:
“We called on the Government in December to accept our
urgent recommendations to address failures in the mental health
treatment and care of young people. Despite having three months
to respond, we are now told that no decisions have been made on
nearly half of our 25 recommendations.
“Today I have written to the Health Secretary to say this is unacceptable and
asking for a clear indication of whether the Government intends
to accept or reject what we are calling for. This includes a ban
on the continued use of prone restraint on children and young
people despite guidance stating that prone restraint should be
avoided due to the increased risk of death from this
position.
“I have also written to the Chair of the parliamentary
Liaison Committee about the Government response which enables
Ministers to evade further scrutiny. I consider it disrespectful
not only to the Committee but more importantly to the witnesses
who spoke to us often about very difficult personal
experiences.”
ENDS
The Committee has welcomed plans for a public consultation on a
new longer term mental health strategy with the Report’s
recommendations being considered to inform its development.
Of recommendations accepted by the Government: every area should
have a community service for children in crisis which is
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; expanding
Independent Mental Health Advocates support so that all children
and young people admitted to hospital informally have the same
legal right to an Independent Mental Health Advocate as those
admitted under legislation without qualification.
The Government also responded to the Expert Panel’s evaluation of
mental health services in England – link here.
Note to editors:
Link to today’s
published Government Response to Report on Children and young
people’s mental health.
