CHILDREN and young people are being kept on Hillingdon mental health waiting lists for months as services struggle to meet demand, according to a report published yesterday.

The Listen to Me! report, produced by Healthwatch Hillingdon and Hillingdon Mind, reveals frustration and confusion among families who do not feel their voices are being heard.

It warns that existing services are unable to support more complex cases and calls for much-needed improvements in early intervention, to support young people, particularly in schools.

Jeff Maslen, chair of Healthwatch Hillingdon, said: “We are concerned insufficient priority is being given to children and young people’s mental health.

He added: “We’ve heard from parents how they cannot access services and that they are stuck for months on waiting lists. Clinicians have told us services are at breaking point.”

Research was conducted between June and September this by students from Brunel University with help from the Young Carers Service at Hillingdon Carers.

They spoke with 44 young people from the area, aged 12-18, along with their families and carers, asking for their thoughts on Hillingdon’s current mental health and emotional well-being care system.

Christopher Geake, director of Hillingdon Mind, said: “It’s important we learn from what young people and families are telling us about the battle to access services and be heard.

“Their stories highlight the need for more prevention and early intervention services, and joining up the commissioning of young people’s services across health, social care, housing, voluntary sector and youth services.”

The report is an ‘initial’ piece of work and is part of a larger programme focusing on young people’s services in Hillingdon.

Stephen Vaughan-Smith, governing body mental health clinical lead for Hillingdon CCG, which commissions health services in the borough, welcomed the ‘snapshot’ report.

“We recognise the important issues raised and agree that working with local partners in an integrated fashion, to address needs from prevention and early intervention through to the provision of in-patient care, will provide the greatest benefit to our young people using these services.”