What is it about?
To ascertain the extent to which community paediatricians are involved in the care of children with mental health conditions in order to determine which difficulties are appropriate for single or joint surveillance by the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Surveillance System (CAPSS). An online survey of the 1120 members of the British Association of Community Child Health (BACCH) working in 169 Community Child Health (CCH) services in the UK.
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Why is it important?
Community paediatricians are highly involved in caring for children with neurodevelopmental conditions, and to some degree those with emotional difficulties, but minimally for psychosis. Joint BPSU and CAPSS surveillance of neurodevelopmental conditions is required to maximise case ascertainment but CAPSS-only surveillance is appropriate for psychosis and bipolar disorder. Surveillance studies of emotional disorders could be joint BPSU and CAPSS or CAPSS-only depending on the specific research question.
Perspectives
There is significant involvement of community paediatricians in the care of CYP with mental health conditions. Involvement is highest for neurodevelopmental conditions, but also significant for CYP with emotional difficulties. The implication of the findings for surveillance case ascertainment is that joint BPSU and CAPSS is recommended for surveillance studies of neurodevelopmental conditions. Single CAPSS studies remain appropriate for psychosis and bipolar disorder.
Dr Michael O Ogundele
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Postgraduate Medical Centre
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Involvement of community paediatricians in the care of children and young people with mental health difficulties in the UK: implications for case ascertainment by child and adolescent psychiatric, and paediatric surveillance systems, BMJ Paediatrics Open, February 2021, BMJ,
DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000713.
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