CAMHS learning disability mental health consultation

What is a consultation appointment?

Consultation is a space for professionals and parents and carers can come together to talk about concerns for a young person with a learning disability. The aim of a consultation is to share issues and identify strategies that can help. The team who will be helping you are called CAMHS (which stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) LDMH (which stands for Learning Disability Mental Health).

A young person can only be discussed with the written consent of the parent(s) or carer(s), or of the young person themselves. Please return the consent form to either:

• the CAMHS LDMH team or
• the person who referred you for consultation (the referrer)

Please note, that consultation is not appropriate for discussion of safeguarding concerns. These should be addressed through the usual safeguarding pathway.

Who will be there?

The consultation will be attended by staff from the CAMHS LDMH Team. Parents and carers are welcome to come with a professional they are currently working with, including the referrer, and anyone else who is currently working with the young person, if appropriate.

It is the referrer’s responsibility to inform the CAMHS LDMH team of who to invite, including interpreters if needed.

When are consultation appointments?

Consultations takes place 2 times per month and there are 3 to 4 slots available on each date. Once a referral has been accepted, you will be notified of the date and time of your appointment. Each young person is allocated 1 hour for the discussion of their case.

What will happen?

As we have several appointments each morning it is important that we start and finish on time. Please be aware that if you arrive late you will have a shorter appointment.

Everyone will introduce themselves and have the opportunity to talk about their concerns.

The professionals may ask you further questions and will discuss possible strategies with you.

At the end of the discussion, a plan will be agreed to address your concerns. You will receive a letter outlining the main points of the meeting and any action that you need to take. You will also be asked to compete a brief evaluation form. Your responses will help us to make consultation as effective as possible.

Please note that discussing a young person at consultation does not mean that they are accepted for further individual work with the LDMH team, unless agreed in the meeting. However you can book in for further consultations.

Can I bring my children?

The consultation appointment is not appropriate for children to attend. Do not bring other children as it an appropriate environment for them, and it is harder to talk openly when children are around.

Where does consultation take place?

You will receive an appointment letter stating the type of consultation appointment you have been booked on for, either face to face or on video call.

Video

Video consultation appointments take place on Zoom. Before your appointment you will be sent a meeting link, meeting ID and passcode which you will need to access the appointment.

At the time of your appointment, click the link and a member of the team will let you into the virtual meeting room. It would be helpful if you could try to join the meeting 5 minutes before the start of your appointment, in case your have any difficulties connecting. If you have any concerns about accessing a video appointment, please contact us beforehand and we can talk you through the process.

Face to face

Face to face consultation appointments take place at Centenary House. When you arrive at Centenary, please report to the main reception and they will telephone a member of the LDMH Team to come and collect you.