A collaboration between the North West London Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provider Collaborative (NWL CAMHS PC) and Real World Health has led to a significant decrease in children’s hospital stays.
The rising concern of mental health issues among young individuals has resulted in prolonged inpatient stays and limited access to community-based care. To address these challenges, West London NHS Trust and Central North and West London NHS Foundation Trust joined forces to establish the NWL CAMHS PC in October 2020.
By incorporating the Real World Health mental health data science platform in June 2022, the collaborative gained valuable insights from patient and workforce data. This enabled them to better understand the patient journey, identify bottlenecks, and make necessary improvements to enhance access and design care pathways.
According to metrics from the NCMS, there has been a 40% reduction in admissions and a 31% improvement in the length of stay in general adolescent wards since the formation of NWL CAMHS PC. These statistics compare data from October 2019 to October 2020 with the most recent data available up to June 2024.
Richard Lyle, head of commissioning and contracting at West London NHS Trust and NWL CAMHS PC, emphasized the importance of consolidating data and working collaboratively to make impactful changes that benefit the young people in their care. Real World Health’s tools and support have enabled informed decision-making and improved communication with partners.
Looking ahead, NWL CAMHS PC plans to integrate non-NHS data into its platform to further enhance local mental health services. Additionally, other mental health trusts in London are implementing digital tools to support assessments of individuals under the Mental Health Act, showcasing a broader effort to leverage technology for better mental health care.
In the realm of mental health services, continuous innovation and collaboration are key to delivering effective support to those in need.
