Self-referral for child mental health service

A self-referral process for the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service on the Isle of Man is set to be launched in the spring.

It follows a £4m boost to the service last year to reduce waiting lists, which currently stand at 520, with £1m ring-fenced for the three-year New Talk initiative.

Under the scheme, a self-referral process would be made available to older children, families and carers through a dedicated website, by telephone or in person.

The service, offered in partnership with mental health charity Isle Listen, aims to offer prompt access to assessments, advice, information and talking-based psychological therapies.

The Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) would jointly triage referrals to ensure those with complex high-risk needs received prompt assessment and treatment from specialists.

Head of integrated mental health services for Manx Care Ross Bailey said the partnership between CAMHS and Isle Listen was "crucial" in delivering "community-based early intervention services".

The funding boost had also enabled the introduction of wellbeing practitioners to all of the island's secondary schools as well as University College Isle of Man to support young people with emerging mental health difficulties.

"The recruitment of new specialists and the implementation of a single access point are key achievements in our ongoing efforts to support mental health in our community," Mr Bailey added.

In October, the government announced that six new clinicians would be introduced to assist with assessing autism and attention deficit hyperactive disorder over a 12 month period.

Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian said five of those positions had been filled, with all in post by 12 March until November.

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