Published on: August 23, 2022
A new collaboration between local mental health support teams (MHST) and our child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has launched in Barnsley.
Branching Minds Barnsley brings together both services under one roof, helping children, young people and their families get the right support at the right time, whilst providing more seamless care.
Children and young people, families, carers and professionals can request support for mental health and emotional wellbeing issues centrally from the newly joined-up service.
Vick Hanley, MHST service manager, Compass, said: “The joining of both services is an ambition set out within the Barnsley Health and Care Plan, and it will help us to provide more seamless care and support for local children, young people and their families.
“Our MHST can help with a wide range of mild and moderate mental health and emotional wellbeing issues, whilst CAMHS can provide further specialist support.
“By working together more closely with CAMHS, we can help make sure that the right support is provided, when it is needed.”
Laura McClure, interim service manager at Barnsley CAMHS at the Trust, said: “Branching Minds Barnsley has been created in partnership with local young people and health and care staff.
“We’ve listened to what local people have told us; and this means that Branching Minds Barnsley takes requests for support directly from professionals, parents and carers and young people themselves.
“A child or young person must be registered with a GP practice in Barnsley to request support from the service.”
You can request support from Branching Minds Barnsley by:
- Calling the team on 01226 107377
- Completing the ‘request for support’ form online at compass-uk.org/services/barnsley-mhst or www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/camhs-barnsley
The Branching Minds team is available Monday – Thursday, 9am – 5pm and Friday, 9am to 4pm (excluding bank holidays). For emergency support outside of these hours, please contact your out of hours GP (by calling your practice number as usual) or NHS 111.
Previous service-specific referral routes such as CAMHS SPA/APIT (assessment and primary intervention team) will be re-directed into the Branching Minds Barnsley team. The launch of the Branching Minds Barnsley will not impact on any current referrals that the MHST or CAMHS have.