Welcome to the June issue of Practice Nursing! This edition features an article on the increase in mental health problems among children and young people, and the use of antidepressants in this group. As Aysha Mendes points out, the NHS plans to improve the quality of care provided to children and young people, and to support them with their mental health, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. However, there has been a worrying increase in antidepressant prescribing in young people without them first being seen by a psychiatrist, which is contrary to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2019) recommendations.
On a similar theme, the Children's Commissioner for England's annual report on children's mental health services has found inequalities in access to support, with some young people waiting up to 17 times longer than others, depending on where they live. Data from mental health services in 2023–24 showed that nearly 60 000 children in England were referred for being ‘in crisis’, while 50 000 children with active referrals were still waiting for treatment to begin at the end of March 2024.
Dame Rachel de Souza has urged healthcare professionals and politicians ‘to put children at the heart of the forthcoming NHS 10 Year Plan … backed by a drive to end regional health inequalities, improve data on children's health and review routes to diagnosis to reduce waiting times and introduce a shared definition of health conditions accepted by professionals across England’ (Children's Commissioner for England, 2025).
The 2024 Children and Young People's Patient Experience Survey, published by the Care Quality Commission (2025), sought the views of 25 800 children aged under 16 years, and their parents or carers, about NHS hospital care in England. It revealed many positive aspects of care, but found that support for emotional wellbeing and responses to the concerns of children and young people could be improved. Survey results showed that 41% of parents and carers of children aged 0–7 years said that staff did not always listen to their child's fears and worries. Children and young people with a mental health condition, autistic children and young people, and disabled children and young people were also found to have poorer experiences across several areas of care.
It is clear that areas for improvement remain if we are to safeguard the mental wellbeing of our children and young people and improve outcomes. It is vital that we provide services that take patients' views and concerns into account, especially for children with additional needs.
If you would like to contribute to the journal, through a letter, opinion piece or longer article on any of the issues raised, please do email the editorial team at: pn@markallengroup.com. We would love to hear from you!