New CAMHS Day Services launching in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire
A new transformational project for children and young people's mental health is about to begin across the East Midlands. Two new day service sites are being launched this year by the East Midlands Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Collaborative, offering specialist support in a less restrictive, community based setting.
Leicestershire Partnership Trust (LPT) will go live at the end of April with its new day service offer, followed by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT), whose service is due to open in September.
LPFT has been working on a mobilisation plan for this new service and Grantham has been identified as the pilot location. Work is underway on the current estate to create the best possible environment for young people.
In Leicestershire, LPT will launch its day service at the Beacon Unit at Glenfield Hospital, where inpatient services are located.
Day services can provide crucial alternatives to hospital admission in a less restrictive setting for young people in need of specialist mental health support. The new service will support young people who would benefit from staying close to home and maintain important parts of their daily life to help with their recovery.
Simon Harris, Director of New Care Models for the East Midlands CAMHS Collaborative, said:
Offering this new level of flexible care means patients will still be able to continue to have some of their normal routines, take part in hobbies or activities they enjoy and maintain relationships with their family, friends and community whilst continuing their school education.
We are looking forward to getting these two pilot programmes up and running so that we can provide the best possible support for children, young people and their families.
What the Leicestershire day service will offer
Children and young people referred to the day service in Leicestershire will attend the Beacon Unit for treatment during the day and return home in the evenings. The service will operate Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6pm (including school holidays) and weekends and bank holidays from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Each young person will have access to a personalised, structured, therapeutic programme designed around their needs. This will include:
A structured and bespoke timetable of group and individual therapeutic support, which will cater to their needs and can flex around existing positive routines
- A full educational curriculum delivered by the onsite education team
- Meal support, including dietetic input where needed
- Enrichment activities, including creative, social and wellbeing-focused sessions such as art therapy, sports, games and meditation
- Family support, including family therapy, parent peer support and psychoeducation
These new day services mark an important step in expanding flexible, compassionate mental health care for young people across the East Midlands.