Mental health strategies ‘not helping young people enough’

UK mental health services should be reformed to ensure they are adequately addressing the needs of young people, according to a special report.

The British Journal of Psychiatry has published a one-off supplement making the case for radical reforms of mental health care for young people, based around the principles of early intervention and a priority focus on emerging adulthood.

Three-quarters of serious and recurring mental health problems begin before the age of 25, while one in ten children and young people aged five to 16 have a diagnosable mental disorder, but current provisions for those in this age range are not effective enough.

Negative consequences of poor mental health care for youngsters include premature death, lost earnings and wasted social, educational and economic opportunities.

Professor Sue Bailey, president of the RCP, said: "While of course we must not ignore the importance of early childhood experiences, the supplement highlights the important transition from adolescence into adulthood for future mental wellbeing."

Last month, the journal published another UK-based report suggesting that patients with severe mental illness are less likely to be prescribed medication to treat common conditions, such as high blood pressure.