Issue - meetings

To consider a report on the feasibility of a scrutiny review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

The Committee received a report on the feasibility of commissioning an in-depth scrutiny review on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which outlined three potential options for the focus of the review.

The Committee noted that it would be a good time for the review due to the draft CAMHS Needs Assessment having been recently completed, which could be used to inform the review and which would feed into the commissioning strategy.

The Committee commented that a review would be beneficial and discussed the various options.  It was considered by officers that Option 1 (a review commissioned on a specific tier of service) would allow a more in-depth review. Option 2 was considered to fit in with the reconfiguration of services.  Option 3 was suggested although concerns were raised that this might reinforce the stigma that children in care have mental health problems.

The Chair suggested that the Terms of Reference of the review of CAMHS be agreed by the Panel when the review took place.

RESOLVED

1.         That approval be given to the commissioning of an in-depth scrutiny review into CAMHS when resources for the review were available; and

2.         That at the point of commencing the review referred to in 1 above, the Scrutiny Panel convened for the review consider and agree either one of the three options as detailed in the report or an alternative option.