Inpatient census 2016: parts one and two

3. Children and young people (all patients aged under 18)

This section of the report looks at patients in the census aged under 18, regardless of whether they receive a Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service ( CAMHS). The total patient population is smaller than that described in other sections of the report, so information on young patients is presented at a high level only.

• There were 55 mental health, addiction or learning disability inpatients aged under 18 at the March 2016 census. This compares with 50 at October 14.
• These patients were mostly treated in Regional Services located in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside. Three additional NHS Boards returned data on a very small number of patients aged under 18.
• There were 48 patients treated in a Children's or Young People's Unit. There were 50 available beds for these wards at the March census date.
• 32 out of the 55 patients were aged 15 or under, 23 were aged 16 to 17.
• 50 out of the 55 patients were seen by a consultant who specialized in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
• The average (median) number of days since admission at the time of the census for young people was 49 days.
• 26 patients aged under 18 (47%) had 'formal' status at the Census date. Patient who have been detained under the provisions of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act of 2003 are defined as having 'Formal' status.
• 18 patients aged under 18 had a diagnosis of a behavioral syndrome, 13 patients had a diagnosis of depression and 11 patients had a Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform diagnosis. Other diagnoses were recorded for small numbers of patients. Patients can have more than one condition.