MODULE 4: CAMHS PATIENTS
Advance choices for children and young people are just as important as for the adults who use services.
To understand the needs of children and young people in our CAMHS services we asked a group from this service for their thoughts on what is important to them when developing an Advance Choice Document.
We now hear from a patient representing the views of themself and other patients on how an Advance Choice Document can help them and allay some of their fears should they need to come back into hospital.
KEY BENEFITS EXPRESSED BY CAMHS PATIENTS
“For the advance choice document to document what I am like when well and what I can be like when unwell as this might help staff to not take my behaviour personally”
“That an Advanced Choice Document would be really helpful so that professionals understand what things make the experience of admission more traumatic for her”
“Having a say in my future care plan will be a great idea as I would feel that my voice and opinions would be heard and listened to if I was admitted again”.
“It would save me time for explaining myself to different professionals as they can refer to my Advance Choice Document
“The document would be a good link between the community and the hospital and I would feel confident that if I was ever admitted again, I know that the staff can refer to the document”
“Having the Advance Choice Document would perhaps means that my stay in hospital would be shorter and more effective as professionals can reference the document as it will not just to be restricted to the hospital that I was previously admitted too”
FEARS AND HOW ACDS COULD HELP
“When relapsing, I need to know what people are doing”.
“I find it scary when people arrive at my home and people do not tell me about plans and this makes things worse. I think that an advance choice document detailing this would be helpful”.
“The document being accessible to staff in A and E and the police would be helpful to not further escalate a situation”
“Mental Health Services are often slow to respond in a relapse and I believe that this has lead to multiple unnecessary admissions. An advance choice document letting people know that they need to intervene early would hopefully help to prevent some of these”
