Oxfordshire Liberal Democrat MPs call for closure of children’s mental health services to be reviewed

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrat MPs call on the Integrated Care Board and Department for Health and Social Care to review the decision to decommission the Infant-Parent Perinatal Service (IPPS), Child & Adolescent Harmful Behaviour Service (CAHBS) and Family Assessment and Safeguarding Service (FASS)

The MPs Freddie van Mierlo, Olly Glover, Layla Moran, Charlie Maynard and Calum Miller have jointly written to the CEOs of Thames Valley Integrated Care Board and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Secretary of State, James Murray to raise concerns that the key services delivered by CAMHs will be closed in July.

The IPPS supports new parents in Oxfordshire who are experiencing depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders and relational difficulties. CAHBS works with schools to deliver early intervention for children and young people where there are concerns about harmful sexual behaviour. FASS is a specialist mental health team with expertise in attachment, family trauma and family relationships.

They urge the Secretary of State, James Murray, under the Health and Care Act 2022 powers to ‘call in’ the decision to close the IPPS, CAHBS and FASS. They also raised the need to mitigate immediate risks and support early intervention and perinatal mental health provision.

In the letter, the MPs highlighted the failure to consult prior to the closure, and the risks to patient safety and service capacity at a time when there is rising need. These services support vulnerable children, young people and families at critical points of need.

The MPs Freddie van Mierlo, Olly Glover, Layla Moran, Charlie Maynard and Calum Miller said:

“The proposed closure of three specialist mental health services for children, adolescents and families in Oxfordshire is deeply worrying.

Our residents rely on these services that address infant and parent health and wellbeing, safeguarding and early intervention. Mental health should never be the poorer cousin of physical health, and we will always champion the importance of early mental health intervention and support.

At a time of rising recognition of perinatal mental health needs, as well as rising concern for harmful sexual behaviours in children driven by social media content, algorithms and access to harmful pornography, there is an obvious need for these services.

Oxfordshire residents deserve the sustainable early intervention and mental health provision through the NHS that the Government committed to.”