Nearly 200 under 18s admitted to hospital after self harming in Harrogate and Craven

189 young people were admitted to Harrogate and Airedale hospitals last year after self harming. 

Off the back of World Mental Health Day, a Stray FM investigation has revealed the number of under 18s seen at both sites over the last three years.  

At Airedale, 137 young people were admitted last year, and 138 the year before. That's a rise of more than a third compared to between 2015 and 2016, when 104 under 18s were seen. 

Meanwhile at Harrogate Hospital, the number fell last year compared to the year before. 52 were admitted in 2017-18, compared to 73 in 2016-17. 57 under 18s were admitted between 2015-16. 

Kirsty Randell, matron for Children's Services at Airedale Hospital said: 

"Young people who are admitted with intentional self-harming are admitted to the Children's ward where an assessment is undertaken of any immediate risks to life. After a period of rest on the ward the young person is seen and assessed by the local Child and adolescent mental health service team (CAMHS). Depending on the outcome of the assessment and support available in the community, the young person may be discharged home then followed up by CAMHS or remain on the ward for further support." 

The CAHMS service at Airedale  is run by Bradford District Foundation Trust. 

Clinical manager Lisa Stead told Stray FM: 

"I think we have noticed a rise. Nationally there's been a rise, and there is money and programmes that we're trying to enforce locally to try and alleviate those pressures."

Lisa says there are many reasons why young people are struggling to cope, but there seem to be two main reasons.

She added:

"They've got pressure from schools and high expectations. And also a really big contributing factor is relationships. So relationships with friends, partners and with parents.

"They're the two biggest causes. There's obviously other reasons, there's lot of pressures within social media. Diets change, financial circumstances change, and all of those can have a positive and a negative effect on a child's mental health.

"The things that would raise concerns is if a young person is isolating themselves, if they're not eating as much, if they're not communicating with their friends. If they have behavioural changes, that then signifies to the parent that there's an issue going on." 

In October 2017 the NHS trust which runs mental health services in Harrogate funded a new crisis resolution home treatment service in Harrogate, building on successful models in Teesside and Durham.

A spokesperson for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said: 

"The service provides specialised community care to children and young people in a mental health crisis and is available to young people under the age of 18 who are experiencing severe emotional distress, which is impacting on their ability to function, or those who may be displaying high levels of risk taking behaviours.

"The crisis resolution home treatment service is part of the Trust's new care models project, which aims to support young people in the community, in comfortable and familiar surroundings. We hope in doing so this avoids the need for hospital admission where possible and allows treatment at home, and with the help of carers.

"Where hospital admission is required the team will continue to provide short term tailored treatments and interventions to help reduce the length of stay and allow young people to return home as soon as possible. The service currently operates between 10am - 10pm, however we are hoping to extend this to a 24hr/7 day a week service in the New Year.

"Anyone can refer into the crisis resolution home treatment service by calling 01423 544335." 

Below are a list of support services if you're worried about yourself or a loved one:

Papyrus (Prevention of Young Suicide) - 0800 068 41 41

www.papyrus-uk.org

The Samaritans - 116 123

www.samaritans.org

Mind - 0300 123 3393

www.mind.org.uk

CALM - 0800 58 58 58

www.thecalmzone.net