Tag: mental health support

Children in Scottish hospitals deprived of mental health support

Charity Starlight highlights the need for play to reduce healthcare-induced trauma

Only one in four (25%) health boards in Scotland report having budgets for essential mental health play services for seriously ill children, according to a freedom of information request carried out by Starlight, the national charity for children’s play in healthcare. 

Areas with the most children living in areas of highest deprivation tended to have less or no resourcing. As noted in Starlight’s recent report2, these children are most at risk of trauma.     

Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Starlight said: “Play services, which include evidence-based activities, games and toys, are one of the most effective ways to reduce trauma in children undergoing healthcare treatment.

“It can explain complex procedures in child-friendly ways, distract children from pain and help professionals do their jobs by reducing children’s stress. 

“The lack of budget for this vital support in Scotland is as shocking as it is sad, with so many children facing incredibly harrowing circumstances without support.” 

Starlight’s research also revealed that even those trusts with budget for play services did not extend support to evenings and weekends – quiet periods that can be hardest of all for children to face. 

Claire’s daughter Lucy, 12, has had a rare condition affecting her oesophagus and trachea since birth. Claire said: “We live two hours away from Aberdeen and Lucy’s dad is in the RAF, so it’s hard for him and Lucy’s two siblings to visit when we are staying there, and other family are five hours away.

“This means it’s usually just me there, so having the play workers in hospital organising fun things to do, for example face painting and having visits from exotic animals, means that Lucy can have some fun, and I can do things such as have a shower, and not have to worry about her being alone in hospital, as I know she is with the play workers and having fun.” 

Heather Beattie, play service manager at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, said: “I genuinely believe that a paediatric hospital couldn’t function properly without a solid, well-trained play team.

“Play is such a vital component of creating a positive experience for both the child and their family and is an inseparable part of their treatment journey. 

“You can’t separate children from play, it’s inherent to who they are. But it’s crucial that this play is appropriate and provided by trained professionals who understand the unique needs of these young patients.” 

In October 2024, Heather’s team won Play Team of the Year award at Starlight’s annual Play in Healthcare Awards. 

Edinburgh charity unveils bold youth mental health strategy

Youth organisation launches new inclusive and accessible mental health support

AN EDINBURGH-BASED youth mental health charity has unveiled an ambitious new strategy designed to create meaningful and accessible support spaces for young people across the city.

U-evolve, which has supported over 200 young people aged 11-21 each year since 2015, is marking a pivotal moment in its mission with the launch of its comprehensive 2025-2028 strategy.

The charity offers tailored services such as mental health coaching, counselling, art therapy, drop-in sessions, and specialised workshops, breaking down traditional barriers to mental health support.

The new strategy focuses on creating both physical and metaphorical spaces where young people can feel supported and empowered to take control of their mental well-being. 

Earlier this year, the charity made the move to Norton Park, Edinburgh’s first office complex dedicated to charities and social enterprises, operating from the carefully restored Victorian school building.

Susie McIntyre, Chief Executive of U-evolve, said: “Our new strategy is about creating space – both physical and metaphorical – where young people can feel genuinely supported and empowered to take control of their mental health. 

“Our move to Norton Park provides the ideal foundation for this transformative approach. The environment here inspires collaboration and innovation, enabling us to focus our resources and energy where they’re needed most- supporting the young people of Edinburgh.”

With a strong emphasis on listening to young people and involving them in decision-making, the strategy reflects a commitment to inclusivity, kindness, and continuous learning.

Part of this is done through Young Voices, a focus group centred around listening to the issues that matter to young people.

A young person benefitting from U-evolve’s work said: “I think Young Voices helps U-evolve realise the struggles that young people have today with Mental Health. 
 
“Being a part of Young Voices Team, has improved my confidence and especially around talking about mental health. It has helped me reflect and look at some problems that other young people have that I would not think of otherwise.”

The charity’s move to Norton Park symbolises a new chapter of growth and innovation. By reducing operational costs, U-evolve can invest more resources directly into supporting young people’s mental health and is now better positioned to extend its critical mental health services with renewed momentum.

Keith Robertson, CEO of Norton Park said:  “We’re proud to provide a professional home that enables organisations like U-evolve to focus entirely on their crucial mission.

“This strategy demonstrates the potential of charities when given the right support and environment.”

For more information on how to support U-evolve visit u-evolve.org or follow the charity on Instagram @uevolvescotland

ECHC overwhelmed by success of The Haven wellbeing pilot project

Almost 2,500 visits to service in its first year 

Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), the charity behind The Haven, a wellbeing and resilience pilot, developed to tackle Scotland’s mental health crisis says it is overwhelmed by its success in its first year. 

The service opened at The Fraser Centre in Tranent in September 2023 and is the first centre to open under the Charity’s ‘No Time To Wait’ strategy. Over its first twelve months, the service operated for three afternoons a week, and attracted 2,412 visits. Of these visits, 1,360 were children and young people and 1,052 were their affected family members. 

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC said: “We are incredibly proud of the success of The Haven over its first year. Poor mental health is one of the biggest challenges of this generation and to have been able to support so many young people, and their families, struggling with their mental health is really inspiring.

“The Haven model has been created by experts and delivered by hugely passionate and committed members of our team, but it is not a complex or complicated process. This is a model that can be taken and delivered all over the country, it simply needs the will and the funding. 

“If we, as a charity, can evidence this much success in one pilot service in just twelve months, imagine how many people dealing with poor mental health could be helped if this model was scaled up and rolled out throughout Scotland.” 

The Haven aims to support families with children struggling with their mental health and prevent problems escalating to the point where professional intervention is needed. Of those who have attended in the last year, the most common issues are around anxiety and depression, followed by challenges in the school environment and school attendance, neurodiversity and self harming, and less commonly, suicidal ideation and eating disorders.

A parent who has used The Haven said: “When we all felt at our lowest point we contacted The Haven. Everyone there genuinely cares.

“Our son found it a safe space to open up and talk. The support The Haven provides us as parents is invaluable. We know the team is on our side and has helped us to realise what we are doing is right. I always look forward to our chats.”

The Haven is open to any child or young person with a mental health concern, and any member of their family, including parents, carers, siblings and grandparents. Due to its success, The Haven will next month move to new premises and will open five days a week.

With bigger facilities, longer opening hours and a larger catchment area, The Haven will be able to support even more people across the Knox Academy postcode area as well as the Ross High School area, from its new premises in Haddington. 

Fiona O’Sullivan is Director of Children’s Wellbeing at ECHC, she said: “The Haven is unique as it supports the whole family and recognises that when a child or young person is suffering as a result of poor mental health this can have a massive detrimental impact on the rest of the family. 

“Our service exists to support the child, the parent, the grandparent, the auntie, the carer, whomever is closest to the child in need. 

“We are thrilled that The Haven is able to expand its service for the remainder of the pilot. Part of the purpose of the pilot was to ascertain the scale of demand, and our data from the first twelve months has simply  confirmed to us what we already knew, that children and young people are crying out for help.”

The Haven will close its doors permanently in July 2025, at which point ECHC is willing to hand over the model and findings from the pilot to any organisation willing to take The Haven model and roll it out more permanently. 

Roslyn Neely added: “Our entire team is completely invested in The Haven and the thought of it closing at this point is almost unbearable, but it was always the intention this would be a two-year pilot, and as a charity we sadly can’t fund and resource this forever. 

“It is our vision that every community in every local authority area across Scotland will have a Haven for those who need it. The model has shown without any doubt that it works, and at the end of the pilot we hope to demonstrate that, at the very least, it has provided valuable support and intervention which has helped a child and their family to cope better with their situation; and at best, may have negated the need for CAMHS support later down the line.”

‘Bionic’ former MP Craig Mackinlay advocates for better sepsis aftercare 

As Mental Health Awareness Day approaches on October 10th, former MP Craig Mackinlay is using his platform to call for urgent improvements in sepsis aftercare and mental health support for survivors.

In a new episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, released in September for Sepsis Awareness Month, Mackinlay shares his personal story of survival after losing both hands and feet to sepsis and becoming a quadruple amputee. Now known as the “Bionic” MP, Mackinlay is a powerful advocate for change.

Mackinlay, who received prosthetics after his sepsis ordeal, criticises the NHS for its inadequate provision of prosthetic limbs, saying, “What the NHS is currently giving out in terms of prosthetics does not do mental health any good.”

He explains how poor access to high-quality prosthetics leaves survivors unable to regain their independence, deeply impacting their mental well-being and ability to return to work.

The economic impact of sepsis-related disability is substantial, with many survivors unable to work due to long-term physical and cognitive effects. The UK Sepsis Trust estimates that 40% of sepsis survivors suffer from ongoing complications, leading to lost productivity and increased financial strain on both families and the economy. Mackinlay highlights how providing better aftercare and mental health support could prevent thousands of cases of long-term disability, allowing survivors to contribute to society and reduce the overall economic burden.

Mackinlay’s advocacy aligns with the UK Sepsis Trust’s recent Step Up campaign, which calls on the government to improve outcomes for sepsis survivors. The campaign’s key demands include:

  1. Measurement and publication of sepsis care performance data – to ensure better accountability and improve NHS care standards.
  2. Integration of rapid diagnostics – allowing healthcare providers to diagnose and treat sepsis faster, preventing severe disabilities and reducing the long-term economic impact.
  3. Increased public awareness of sepsis symptoms – ensuring that early intervention prevents life-altering complications like limb loss.

The charity’s Change.org petition calling for public support of the asks has accumulated nearly 50,000 signatures: https://chng.it/5dnys44wvt

Dr Ron Daniels, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, also highlights the “postcode lottery” in sepsis care, noting that a recent University of Manchester study found that people from socioeconomically deprived areas are nearly twice as likely to die from sepsis.

Both Mackinlay and the UK Sepsis Trust emphasise the need for a national effort to address these disparities and improve both physical and mental health care for survivors.

As the UK Sepsis Trust raises awareness this Sepsis Awareness Month, this episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron brings attention to the need for systemic change in sepsis aftercare and the importance of recognising the mental health toll on survivors ahead of Mental Health Awareness Day.

Listen to the full episode here: https://SepsisVoices.podbean.com/e/sepsis-survival-and-advocacy-bionic-former-mp-craig-mackinlay-on-adapting-to-life-with-disability-and-driving-for-change/

Coalition calls for political consensus as more than 460 children wait more than a year for mental health treatment

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, is calling on all Scotland’s political parties to come together and make mental health a key focus.

The call comes as new waiting time figures out yesterday (6th June), highlight that 469 children and young people had been languishing on waiting lists for more than a year for treatment from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) at the quarter ending March 2023.1

Indeed, just 74.2 per cent of patients with mental health problems were seen within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS, with more than a quarter waiting longer than this time. This is short of the Scottish Government’s waiting time target of 90 per cent being seen within 18 weeks. 1

The new figures indicate that it has failed to deliver a key pledge to clear waiting lists by March 2023, as outlined in the NHS Recovery Plan.2

Figures also show that as many as 7,701 children and young people were still stuck on waiting lists to start treatment at the end of the quarter ending March 2023, an increase of 138 on the previous quarter ending December 2022.

The new figures are set against the backdrop of a mental health emergency, which is set to worsen given the cost-of-living crisis and services already at breaking point.

The SCSC is calling on a cross party approach to prioritise spending on mental health, avoiding a potential lost generation of children and young people with mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and self-harm.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, cases of poor mental health in children and young people were at unprecedented levels, with under-resourced services struggling to keep pace with growing demand, leaving an increasing number of vulnerable individuals unable to access support. Children and young people are still battling with the long shadow of lockdown, and the rising cost of living is adding to the pressure.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “The latest figures highlighting that more than 460 of our children and young people have been languishing on waiting lists for treatment more than a year is extremely alarming.

“Disturbingly, this means that the Scottish Government has totally failed to achieve its pledge to clear waiting lists by March 2023, leaving many thousands of children and young people waiting for treatment.

“Even before the Covid-19 pandemic demand for already overstretched and under-resourced mental health services was increasing. The mental health of our children and young people has deteriorated markedly over the past decade, and both the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis are making matters even worse, creating a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people.

“We are facing a mental health emergency and many of our children and young people are at breaking point, with stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels as they battle with the long shadow of lockdown and the rising cost of living.

“We must make the delivery of adequately resourced mental health services for our children and young people an absolute priority and would urge all of Scotland’s political parties to come together and make this a reality.” 

1 Public Health Scotland, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Waiting Times in Scotland, Quarter Ending December 2022, 7th March 2023. Dashboard. Available at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times-quarter-ending-december-2022/

2 Scottish Government, NHS Recovery Plan, 25th August 2021. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/nhs-recovery-plan/pages/9/ (accessed 2nd September 2021).

Virtual reality brings fantasy garden to life for thousands of children

Global immersive technology company collaborates with Teapot Trust to create cutting edge VR experience 

An exciting collaboration between Edify and Teapot Trust will bring to life the transformative power of art therapy through virtual reality and a fantasy garden. 

The partnership between the East Lothian charity and the immersive technology company, with headquarters in both Glasgow and Abu Dhabi, comes as Teapot Trust prepares to host a show garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.   

Teapot Trust is a charity at the forefront of transformative mental health support that provides art therapy to children, young people and their families living with chronic conditions.

The Elsewhere Garden, designed by Scottish Swiss partnership SempleBegg, will showcase at the prestigious gardening event in May this year. The garden represents a child’s imagination as it blossoms in response to the freedom gifted by art therapy and is inspired by Willy Wonka’s factory, Oz and Wonderland.

Edify, a leading-edge tech company that builds innovative immersive technology platforms for learning and teaching is donating its time to the charity to create a virtual reality experience of the garden. 

This ground-breaking technology will provide a completely new context for art therapy where children and art therapists can connect, create, and explore in a digital realm. The impact will be far reaching, enabling increased access by overcoming geographical and physical barriers.

By bringing the garden to children (like those in a ward) who cannot physically leave hospital to explore outdoors, it will help them experience the world around them in a new way while introducing vital art therapy themes like increased communication, relaxation techniques, and mental coping mechanisms. 

Fergus Bruce, Senior Director at Edify said: “Central to Edify’s mission is making the ‘go anywhere, do anything’ superpowers of immersive technology accessible as widely as possible.

“With that in mind, we’re delighted to support the Teapot Trust and the vital work they do by ensuring that the ‘Elsewhere Garden’ can be experienced far beyond RHS Chelsea. We’ll do this by utilising both the Edify platform and the skill of our team to create a virtual experience of the actual garden which keeps its magic accessible and growing long after the event itself.” 

Edify and Teapot Trust were introduced through the Scottish Tech Army, a unique volunteer community bringing together tech experts and the third sector for the benefit of people and communities. 

Kirsty McIntosh of Scottish Tech Army added: “We are delighted to bring the Teapot Trust and Edify together.

“This is a great example of the tech for good ecosystem in action and we are excited to see how this collaboration will support the aims of the charity.”

Sarah Randall, CEO of Teapot Trust said: “The Elsewhere Garden has been created with the most incredible amount of passion, love and nurture so the ability to bring this to life in a virtual reality world to benefit thousands of children and young people who won’t experience the garden in real life is a wonderful opportunity. 

“The Edify platform will enable art therapists to join and guide children in a virtual experience while also giving the potential for children within an art therapy group to interact with each other within the digital garden. This is a tremendous asset to have, which is down to the overwhelming generosity and creativity which Edify has brought to the project.”

Art therapy techniques will be incorporated into the experience, with specific plants, views, and sensations being central to art therapy exercises and themes. This safe and controlled experience will help children grow confidence to navigate tech and tech-enabled learning in a fun, playful, and imaginative immersive experience, boosting their confidence and helping them understand that they can overcome barriers in their own lives.

One in four children and young people in the UK live with the pain and stigma of chronic health conditions that cause anxiety and depression. Almost a third of those aged under 21 who take their own lives have a long-term chronic illness.

The charity’s art therapy gives children and young people a release from the burdens of chronic illness allowing them to take some control, to express and process their feelings about their diagnosis, their treatment regime, and the impact of their condition on daily life.

Stepped up mental health support for veterans of Afghanistan

Samaritans are to launch a new veterans support helpline, backed by more than half a million pounds of government funding, to provide peer-to-peer emotional support to veterans.

The new helpline is one of more than 50 projects announced today from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs Afghanistan Veterans’ Fund, totalling £5million.

Around £150k is being provided to RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity, who will improve the wellbeing of veterans through volunteering with Afghans who now live in the UK, including Afghans who worked with the UK military and were evacuated during Operation Pitting.

Other projects include:

  • Providing veterans in Scotland with opportunities to engage with mindfulness and recovery in nature, through the charity Mindfulness Scotland
  • Encouraging veterans to connect with one another through sports such as rugby, golf, climbing and horse riding.
  • Increasing access to assistance dogs for veterans struggling with their mental health in England to assistance dogs to help alleviate symptoms and triggers of PTSD.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Leo Docherty said: “We are forever grateful to those who served in Afghanistan and members of the Afghan community who worked with them. Their courage and commitment to this country will never be forgotten.

“This targeted funding for charities across the country will ensure that, regardless of location, those who have served and their families can access services easily.”

The Afghanistan Veterans’ Fund was announced by the Prime Minister last year, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The fund supports the Afghanistan veteran cohort with help adjusting to civilian life.

The fund, which is being distributed by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, will also increase dedicated support mechanisms for young veterans and their families. The £5 million boost will also help increase the user friendliness and accessibility of services, better signposting veterans to the range of state and charitable services available to them.

The Samaritans project will see volunteers from the military community trained to provide peer-to-peer support by the charity, to encourage improved mental resilience and wellbeing in the armed forces community.

Chief Executive Officer of Samaritans Julie Bentley said: “Samaritans is proud to be supporting our Armed Forces community, many of whom have put their physical and mental health on the line to serve their country, with the creation of a new dedicated support service for military veterans.

“Sadly, we know from calls to our helpline that veterans consistently make up over 70% of the calls from the military community, and that they are almost twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts compared with the general population.

“That’s why it’s so important that veterans facing a crisis can easily access support and contact a trained veteran volunteer to help improve their wellbeing.”

Chief Executive Officer of RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity Alistair Halliday said: “The funding from the OVA will enable RFEA The Forces Employment Charity to deliver vital support. We will be working with UK Veterans to support Afghan people who are arriving in the UK and who worked alongside our UK Armed Forces during the 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan.

“The aim of our programme will be to enable those arriving from Afghanistan to access employment providing financial independence and inclusion in UK society. The sustained links that we will create between UK veterans, many of whom served in the Afghanistan conflict, and those arriving from Afghanistan will create long-term benefit for both groups”.

Increasing mental health support in GP practices

Funding to reach £40 million a year

More mental health and wellbeing services will be provided within GP practices and community settings, backed by investment of up to £40 million a year.

Under the new system, patients who need mental health support will find a range of professionals available through their doctor’s surgery, rather than having to rely solely on their GP or a referral elsewhere. These could include mental health nurses, psychologists, peer support workers, occupational therapists, and link workers.

Funding of £1.5 million has already been made available from the Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund. This will increase annually to support implementation of the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Primary Care Services, reaching an expected £40 million per year by 2024-25.

This could amount to more than £100 million by the end of this Parliament, substantially increasing the mental health workforce and transforming how support is delivered.

Minister for Mental Wellbeing Kevin Stewart said: “Mental ill health is one of the major public health challenges in Scotland. We know the pandemic has had a significant impact, which is why mental health has remained a priority throughout our response to COVID-19.

“Around a third of all GP consultations now has a mental health component. But the range and complexity of issues requires a more varied and comprehensive response.

“This new multi-disciplinary model will deliver our commitment to provide 1,000 additional dedicated mental health staff by 2026, supporting communities to improve their mental health.”

Deputy chair of BMA Scotland’s GP Committee Dr Andrew Cowie said: “Scotland’s mental health has suffered significantly throughout the COVID19 pandemic, and we welcome the additional mental health staff that will allow for our patients to access support within their communities.

“GP practices are most people’s first point of contact and it is important that there is a range of help and services available there. This is a welcome initiative and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to develop the scheme and ensure all patients in Scotland can access better mental health in their communities.” 

Local Planning Guidance, to support integration authorities and local partners to plan and implement the new services, will be published on the Scottish Government’s website this week.

Services will also link to community support such as addiction services, food banks and benefit support, through a link worker dedicated to each GP practice.

More mental health support for students

Extra £1.32 million to improve wellbeing

Students across Scotland will have access to more support to help them deal with the mental health impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Additional Scottish Government funding will allow support staff to carry out more frequent checks to identify potential mental health issues, as well as wider welfare concerns, such as access to food deliveries and other necessities.

The funding will also help to increase the number of drop-in chats for students, which will offer counselling on a digital platform.

Staff will also be able to direct students to the appropriate services, including referring them to a clinician, if appropriate.

Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: “We want students and their families to feel reassured that practical and welfare support is in place, particularly given current circumstances.

“This extra funding will build on the support already in place, including the additional counsellors provided by our recent investment of £3.64 million.

“During the pandemic we have committed £6 million of funding to improve mental health throughout Scotland. And on Monday, we announced £15 million to respond to the mental health issues of children and young people. Students have access to all services available to the general population, including the Clear Your Head campaign to support people to take care of their mental health and wellbeing.

“We have also expanded the NHS24 Mental Health Hub so that it is now available 24 hours a day,  seven days a week, and increased the capacity of the Breathing Space telephone helpline and web support service.”

NUS Scotland President Matt Crilly said: “We warmly welcome today’s additional funding which will help to support students’ mental health and wellbeing after a tough start to the academic year.

“The impact of COVID-19 on students has undoubtedly taken its toll – academically, financially and socially. Now more than ever we need to ensure that their mental health and wellbeing is looked after, and this funding is a welcome start to ensuring that every student who needs support, has access to it. We look forward to further details of how the funding will be allocated and spent.”

Director of Access, Learning and Outcomes at the Scottish Funding Council, James Dunphy said: “Positive mental health is fundamental to students’ ability to progress and make the most of their education experience. 

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental and emotional health of many students, both new and returning, and so we welcome this additional funding. 

“Colleges and universities have made great progress with the funding they have already received, employing additional counsellors to support students in need, and this additional funding will enable them to target their support in more flexible ways, including increased access to online services, crisis intervention, and wellbeing support for those in isolation.”

Universities will have accessible wellbeing services, with details on their websites.

The Student Information Scotland website has the student support pages of every institution to signpost students to the support which is available.