Friday 14 October 2022 04:31 PM Coroner writes to Government over child mental health crisis trends now
A coroner will write to Health Secretary Therese Coffey with concerns about children’s mental health following the Covid-19 pandemic.
An inquest into the death of 12-year-old Charley-Ann Patterson was told NHS services have seen a “massive escalation” in the number of young people experiencing anxiety and self-harm post-lockdown.
Charley was found dead at her home in Cramlington, Northumberland, on October 1 2020.
Charley Patterson, pictured, took her own life at her home in Cramlington, Northumberland on October 1, 2020, her inquest has ruled
The schoolgirl, pictured, struggled with her mental health during lockdown and faced bullying 'overwhelmingly by electronic devices' while outside school, the inquest heard
She was bullied and struggled to get mental health support in the months before her death, her parents previously said.
On Friday, senior coroner Andrew Hetherington recorded a conclusion of suicide.
He said he intends to write to Ms Coffey after hearing evidence about 'the number of referrals services are receiving from young people with regard to their emotional wellbeing'.
One witness said referrals from a child struggling with their mental health have gone from one a week to one a shift following the pandemic, Mr Hetherington told the hearing.
He said the reason is 'complex, including the impact of Covid-19, an increase in anxiety, body image, OCD, self-harm and overdoses'.
'I will write to Therese Coffey to highlight the concerns I have heard and to see if actions can be taken,' Mr Hetherington added.
The inquest at Northumberland Coroner's Court previously heard evidence from Ellis Parker, a nurse practitioner with the universal crisis team for children and young people at Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the region's mental health services.
Since the end of lockdown, the service has seen 'a massive escalation' in the number of young people experiencing mental health issues, including 'a lot of school anxiety, issues with bullying and OCD', Ms Parker said.
'During Covid-19 we were really quiet in the beginning. People were trying to avoid services because of the outbreak, then when children have went back to school it has created a lot of issues,' she told the inquest.
