‘Reverse cuts to mental health support’ urges Save Lewisham Hospital campaign
By Toby Porter
The leaders of a campaign to save a hospital have condemned plans to slash support for young people with their mental health in lockdown and after.
The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign want Lewisham mayor Damien Egan to reconsider taking a £250,000 axe to its Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), which could mean many redundancies.
They say the proposed package of close to £1.5m cuts will have a direct or indirect impact on children.
The Save Lewisham Hospital said in a statement: “Pressures on CAMHS are increasing for many reasons: young people are spending many months out of school.
“Many are feeling increasingly socially isolated when there are currently no sport or other leisure activities.
“Some young people are having to deal with anxiety about vulnerable family members who may be sick or even dying – especially children of key workers who are having to go to work in unsafe environments.
“There are also increased pressures on families due to unemployment, poverty and inadequate finances, home schooling, increased cases of domestic violence and resulting parental mental health problems.
“CAMHS waiting times have been coming down, but waiting times for actual therapy input are still long. Local GPs are finding it difficult to secure referrals to CAMHS due to their lack of capacity.
“Parents get an assessment and then are told there will be another long wait for any necessary follow up treatment.
“The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign is urging the council to ensure the proposed cuts will not lead to worse waiting times.
Further cuts are also planned to health visiting services, closure of a supported housing unit for mothers and babies that offers a home to 16-22 year olds, cuts to school transport for disabled children. But Lewisham has denied there will be any job losses.
Dr Tony O’Sullivan, retired paediatrician and former Director of Children’s Services at Lewisham and Greenwich Trust said: “We understand the unacceptable pressures and brutal financial cuts imposed by the government on the council over the last 10 years.
“We know the council says it needs to make £40 million in cuts over the next three years. The impact on the local population and in this case the young and vulnerable is intolerable.
“We implore the Mayor and cabinet to work with campaigners, the Local Government Association other councils, and with the national Labour Party, to launch an awareness campaign on the dangers to life and health from the impact of government cuts to councils.”
Cllr Chris Barnham, Lewisham’s cabinet member for and children’s services said: “The council is being forced to confront a £40 million budget gap as a result of a decade of government austerity and funding cuts, which has seen the Council’s budget cut by nearly half. Despite this challenge, we have consistently given a high priority to children’s mental health services, and maintained the council’s contribution to the NHS at a time other services have faced severe cuts.
“The budget for CAMHS has risen from £5.2 million in 2018 to £7.1 million today. Through our partnership with the local NHS, CAMHS waiting times have fallen and performance has improved. Total funding will rise next year, with a substantial increase in funding for mental health support teams in schools. This means more young people can be helped earlier, reducing pressure on the most acute CAMHS service.”