Responding to the Future Minds report on rising incidences of mental illness among young people, RCN Head of Nursing, Stephen Jones, said:
“It is a tragedy that so many children and young people are being failed in this way. We know that early intervention is the best route to protect mental health and yet so many are left waiting for years.
“The best way to improve their lives is to ensure services are adequately funded with enough nursing staff to deal with rising waiting lists. The reality, however, is that the number of mental health nurses has not risen to meet demand, while school and community nurses have seen their numbers collapse in recent years.
"Ministers must now commit to investment in these crucial nursing roles to get care to those who need it and avoid long-term issues. Not acting now will have more societal costs in the future.”
Ends
Notes to editors
Future Minds:
