Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services: national service specification

7. I Have Confidence In The Staff Who Support Me

No public service can provide quality of care without a commitment to develop and sustain a high quality workforce. The variation in workforce levels, professional mix, skill mix, activity, productivity and outcomes in CAMHS was noted in both the Rejected Referrals report and the Audit Scotland report. CAMHS workforce development is a critical element of the delivery of high quality and consistent care across Scotland.

7.1 Provide sufficient staff resources to meet the recommended standards for:

(i) minimum critical mass for CAMHS Tier 3 and Tier 4 services, taking into account specific local circumstances;

(ii) demand and capacity, taking into account wider provision for children and young people's mental health care, and current demand for locality CAMHS teams, ensuring Fair Work standards, and quality of care standards, are met;

(iii) an assessment of population level need.

[NB: Further guidance will follow on Scottish Government's recommended CAMHS capacity and workforce model which will include Fair Work Standards, and the Health and Care (Staffing) Scotland Act]

7.2 Involve children, young people and/or their families/carers, and their views taken into account, in recruitment and appointment of staff.

7.3 Involve children, young people and/or families/carers in the design, delivery and/or evaluation of staff training.

7.4 Provide opportunities for team / service away days to build team relationships, facilitate learning and service development. This should be done on a multi professional/agency basis wherever possible.

7.5 Develop effective relationships and pathways with key local organisations to ensure the holistic needs of children, young people and/or families/carers are met in a timely and appropriate manner, in line with the GIRFEC National Practice Model, The Child's Plan (where completed).

7.6 Clearly describe the roles of professionals in CAMHS, including the capacity for supporting children, young people and their families, and including administration support, team meetings and supervision, and make this information available in a range of audiences and formats.

7.7 Ensure sufficient resources are available for professional, clinical and managerial supervision, including supervision regarding the arrangements for the safety of children and young people.

7.8 Provide opportunities for CAMHS professionals to participate in small group case discussions about case goals and outcomes, and on a multi-agency basis where possible.

7.9 Include children, young people and/or families/carers' views of their experience in CAMHS professional appraisals, and provide systems and processes to gather views appropriately, and with consent, for this purpose.

7.10 Ensure systems and processes are in place (IT and others) to monitor, report on, analyse and respond to, fluctuations in the local planned capacity calculations, but also to report on outcomes of interventions and treatment.

7.11 Ensure CAMHS staff are supported to grow and develop the necessary compassion, values and behaviours to provide person-centred, integrated care and enhance the quality of experience through education, training and regular continuing personal and professional development that instils respect for children/young people and families/carers.

7.12 Ensure the workforce capacity, current and for the future, is sufficient ensuring an appropriate skill mix and scope of practice to deliver a range of recommended evidence-based interventions within the recommended delivery and capacity model.