Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1006805
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 JULY 2018 NEWS all quality of care, the study indicated. CYPS' opening hours were identified as a possible issue, since appointments are all given during school hours, in- directly forcing young people to choose between attending classes or visiting the clinic. Another restrictive factor is that referrals to CYPS can only be made by doctors, with professionals working in mental health and education, and caregivers themselves, unable to refer directly to the service. Since research shows that less than half of young people with a mental disor- der actually access a mental health service, making the re- ferral process easier would in- crease access rates, the study proposed. Survey results show that young people would prefer having small community ser- vice centres, instead of one centralised service for the whole of Malta. Waiting times too long Over 12% of young people surveyed – a substantial num- ber – commented that waiting times for appointments were too long. In 2014, a different evaluation of waiting times at CYPS found that the average time for a first specialist re- view was over 300 days. "Therefore, CYPS waiting times did not follow guide- lines recommended by NHS Scotland's Local Delivery Plan Standards, which indi- cates that a child should not wait for more than 18 weeks from referral to treatment," the study said. Increasing the trained staff to patient ratio, investing in treatment pathways with target waiting times and au- diting the service regularly could help reduce waiting times, it suggested. Parking facilities available at CYPS meeting locations were rated poorly, with 53% saying the availability of parking was poor, and less than 2% rating it as excellent. Survey respondents also emphasised that the different services in the field need to communicate better between themselves. This has started being addressed by the CY- PS, the study noted, with its staff now carrying out more school visits, aiming to liaise with the educational system and assess young people in their "natural environment". This should provide a better understanding of their needs and lead to a better outcome for the care provided. More attention is being placed on communication between paediatricians and clinicians working at CYPS, with forward strides being made in this area through the use of exchange training placement programmes be- tween psychiatry and paedi- atrics trainees. Environment not up to scratch The CYPS clinic's environ- ment emerged as another theme in survey respondents' comments. Young persons pointed out that the service centre's aes- thetic wasn't appropriate for people their age, and noted in the survey the need for a "happy looking", "well-lit" and "comfortable" environ- ment. The study said that relative- ly small changes, such as hav- ing artwork on display, could help change the general per- ception of the service. It also suggested that static exercise bikes could be placed in the waiting rooms, to be used by young people to charge their phones while waiting, and at the same time address the obesity problem on the is- land. The authors hypothesised, through the information gathered, that a "substantial number" of young people in Malta choose to access pri- vate mental health services instead of the state provided CYPS. "This would be the result of the poor environment and location of the service centre, the unacceptably long waiting lists, and the lack of possibil- ity to engage with the same professional," the study said, adding that the possibility of self-referrals could also be making independent mental health services appear more attractive. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt mental health service continuity of care Overall, the survey documented positive feedback from the young people about the quality of the service, with 73% saying the level of help offered was excellent or very good