'I've seen things I shouldn't have" is a poignant quote from a 16-year-old girl admitted to a mental health acute admission ward for adults. Her comment sums up the effect of the continuing lack of appropriate in-patient facilities for young people with mental health problems in Scotland today.
In its annual report the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland highlighted that last year there were 142 admissions of people under the age of 18 to non-specialist services. More than 90 per cent of these admissions (134) were to adult psychiatric w
ards. For 21 of these young people there was no specialist adolescent psychiatric input. A similar number did not get access to the education support they were entitled to.
The Commission welcomes this year's achievement of a 24 per cent reduction in admissions to adult wards as a "real step forward" but still has serious concerns for the young people who continue to receive care in adult settings.
A Commission investigation highlighted the problems faced by a 16-year-old girl (Ms Y) admitted to an adult ward.
Ms Y said she had not felt safe while in hospital and had been offered drugs and alcohol by other patients. During her stay she had also given her mobile phone number to a male patient who could have posed a risk to her. As well as the risk, though, there was the boredom. Ms Y is now a smoker, a habit she says she picked up to help pass her time in hospital.
Acute admission wards are to help adults recover from acute mental illness. They are no place for vulnerable young people.
The Commission has found that being admitted to an adult ward as a young person means that you are less likely to continue education, less likely to receive specialist assessment and clinical input and less likely to have an allocated social worker.
Scotland, for its young people and their parents, must do better, faster.
The Commission's annual report is available at www.mwcscot.org.uk or by phoning 0800 369 6809.
• Jamie Malcolm is the Commission's deputy director The full article contains 362 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
