Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of (a) children and (b) young adults placed on adult psychiatric wards.

We recognise that for some young people, admission to hospital will not be the most appropriate way to meet their needs. The overall strategy is therefore to reduce reliance on inpatient mental health beds for children and young people with a severe mental illness.

The model of provision of National Health Service-funded inpatient treatment for children and young people is being reviewed and re-designed to support the move to a community-based provision, where children and young people are able to access appropriate support in a timely, effective and patient-centred way, close to home and in the least restrictive environment.

This transition is being supported by the introduction of provider collaboratives to support place-based commissioning and to develop local services that meet the needs of their communities. Options may include increased day provision and the new model will see a change to how inpatient environments are best utilised.