Submitted by la334 on Mon, 24/03/2025 - 09:28
A groundbreaking study published in this month’s BJPsych Open reveals significant concerns regarding the admission of young people to adult mental health wards in England, calling for urgent reforms to improve age-appropriate care.
The research, conducted by experts from leading UK universities and NHS Trusts, explores the perspectives of young people, parents, and mental health professionals on the impact of these admissions. Despite national policies recommending age-appropriate inpatient care, young people aged under 18 continue to be admitted to adult wards due to bed shortages and crises.
Key Findings:
· Young people’s admissions to adult wards often occur during emergencies, out of hours, and when no adolescent ward beds are available.
· These admissions are typically seen as short-term safety measures rather than providing therapeutic support.
· Concerns were raised about safeguarding, the lack of education provision, and limited treatment options for young people in adult mental health settings.
· In very rare cases, older adolescents may find an adult ward more clinically or socially suitable.
· Recommendations include improving adolescent and adult services integration, increasing community support, and introducing more flexible policies to prevent unnecessary admissions.
Lead author Dr Anne-Marie Burn from the University of Cambridge stated: “Our study underscores the urgent need to ensure that young people receive care in age-appropriate environments. While adult mental health wards may provide immediate safety, they may lack the necessary resources to support young patients' long-term recovery.”
Professor Kapil Sayal from the University of Nottingham, the Principal Investigator of the “Far Away from Home” research programme, said: “For at least the past 15 years, national policy has been clear that young people aged under 18 should not be admitted to adult mental health wards. Sadly, though, these admissions continue to happen, and our research shines a spotlight on the impact of such admissions, particularly about safeguarding and limited available therapeutic provision. Without good coordination between services, such admissions risk holding up and delaying the young person’s mental health care and recovery.”
The study highlights the importance of strengthening community mental health services and early intervention strategies to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. It also calls for better collaboration and overlap between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) to create a seamless transition for young people in need.
This research, part of the “Far Away from Home” project, was funded by the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands, ARC East of England, ARC West Midlands, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley, and ARC Greater Manchester. The project was led by the University of Nottingham and involved the University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, University of Warwick, University of York, and NHS Foundation Trusts across England.
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
- Funding high-quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
- Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
- Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities to improve the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
- Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
- Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
- Funding applied to global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle-income countries.
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low- and middle-income countries is principally funded by the UK's international development funding from the UK government.
About the Research:
This qualitative study involved interviews with 29 participants, including young people aged 16-17, parents/carers, and mental health professionals from adult mental health services in England. The study provides critical insights into young people's challenges in adult wards and offers recommendations for policy and service improvements.
Read the study: Burn A-M, Holland J, Roe J, et al. Impact of young people’s admissions to adult mental health wards in England: a national qualitative study. BJPsych Open. 2025;11(2):e53. doi:10.1192/bjo.2024.850