Scanlon - Shocking figures reveal number of children admitted to adult psychiatric wards increases more than 20% in four years

Mary Scanlon MSP, Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperson, is calling on the SNP Scottish Government to take action after a Parliamentary Question she submitted revealed a huge increase in the number of children being admitted to adult psychiatric wards.

Mary Scanlon MSP said:

"Among the proposals of the Mental Health Act 2003 there was a commitment to reduce the number of children being treated in adult psychiatric wards, as this was not the appropriate setting for young children for the care and treatment they needed. It is therefore shocking that the SNP have failed on this commitment made to children in Scotland with mental health problems and have allowed the figure to rise to 92 children aged 0-16 and 92 teenagers aged 17-18.

"There was a commitment by all parties in the Scottish Parliament to treat young children with the respect and dignity they deserve in our National Health Service and there was agreement across the political divide that children in adult psychiatric wards should be 'a thing of the past'. Unfortunately when the numbers should have been reducing these figures reveal an increase of 21% between 2006 and 2010 in the number of children 16 and under being admitted and an increase of 23% over the same period of teenagers between 17 and 18 years of age being admitted to adult psychiatric wards.

"The Scottish Government should now outline what action they intend to take to ensure that there is a reduction in children being placed in adult psychiatric wards as promised by the Scottish Parliament in the Mental Health Act."

Below is the question Mary submitted and the answer she received

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been admitted to adult psychiatric wards in each of the last five years.

Mr Michael Matheson MSP:

The number of Children admitted to an adult psychiatric ward are

                       0-16                    17-18

2005-06            37                        22

2006-07            76                        75

2007-08            77                        65

2008-09            82                        67

2009-10            92                        92

The figures above from the Mental Welfare Commission show the number of young people under 18 who were admitted to adult beds over a 5 year period. It should be noted however that monitoring of children admitted to Adult wards only began with the introduction of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 in October 2005 and therefore only covers a 6 month period from October 2005 to 31 March 2006.

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