Psychiatry (children & adolescents)

h2>Introduction

This consultant-led service includes psychiatry, family psychotherapy, child psychotherapy, and a link paediatric social worker. It provides services to emergency care and the children’s wards at the hospital, as well as local schools and community social services.

What we offer

• Emergency assessments of acute cases of deliberate self-harm, suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, psychosis, depression, obsessional states and intoxication, as well as paralysis, fits, headaches and abdominal pain without any apparent physiological cause
• Assessment of the patient’s mental state and their local circumstances, and, where appropriate, treatment
• For those not able to be discharged home for social reasons, we liaise with Social Services to assess them and find accommodation for them, where necessary
• Reviews and a multidisciplinary treatment plan for those not ready for discharge
• Cases of self-harm will be treated in collaboration with Children’s Social Services, irrespective of where the patient lives—those who live outside Kensington and Chelsea and who no longer require ongoing treatment at Chelsea and Westminster may be referred for follow-up locally
• Adolescents with disturbed mental states, who are not safe to be discharged home, may require transfer to an adolescent psychiatric unit; we agree the funding and organise the transfer in conjunction with medical teams

Quality markers

• Assessments comply with national and local mental health trust child centred policies
• Assessments are carried out by experienced clinicians

Key staff

• Dr Mike McClure (Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist)
• Dr Melissa Adams (Consultant Family Psychotherapist)
• Dr Marguerite Reid (Consultant Child Psychotherapist)

Access

Referrals
E: chelwest.gpreferrals@nhs.net

• Internal referrals by telephone or by faxing completed form on 020 3315 8870
• Referrals are accepted from members of the hospital paediatric team only
• Parents should be informed and have given their consent before a referral is made
• For routine and urgent advice within working hours, contact team co-ordinator
• For urgent advice outside working hours contact Paediatric Emergency Care on 020 3315 8600/1 Access

Referral criteria

Children not being treated at this hospital, who require psychological support, should be referred to local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Service contact details

Team Co-ordinator
T: 020 3315 8617