Pioneering Enfield CAMHS coproduction project

The Enfield CAMHS coproduction project commenced March 2022 and is designed and led by Meera Kapadia CAMHS Psychotherapist and Coproduction Project Lead.

CAMHS services are facing unprecedented demand and new out of the box thinking is required to change the system. Coproduction provides some answers, as it involves users and providers of services  working together to improve the system. To this end the Enfield CAMHS project involves gaining the perspectives and innovative ideas of young people, parents and professionals, to improving mental health services locally.

A total of eight focus groups have been recruited to and facilitated over a very short period of 3 months, with a final group due next month.

A total of 67 participants have been taken part in the focus groups to date.

The focus groups undergo a thematic analysis which is coproduced with a team including two young people who have lived experience of mental health issues and CAMHS, and are young community researchers on the project, as well as a parent of an ex CAMHS service user.

This is a ground breaking project and is only possible due to Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust’s commitment to implementing the learnings from young people and parents in reshaping CAMHS to better serve the needs of local families.

Maggie a Young Community Researcher said:

“Growing up as a young person in the UK, you didn’t have to look far to find someone who was being seen under CAMHS – for many, it was a big part of their adolescence. One of those young people was myself – over the years I became enormously grateful for their support and guidance. Participating in the Enfield CAMHS coproduction project has given me a very personal sense of achievement and pride, as I return to CAMHS as an adult and help to improve the service I once relied on. It has been difficult at times to see the same problems within the services persist, with so many failing to access the help that they need - I feel very privileged in listening to people’s stories and hope the CAMHS coproduction project manages to translate their words into actions”

Miguel Young Community Researcher said:

“As an international young recent graduate that has accessed talking therapies myself as a teenager , It has been really great to get a chance to participate in this research experience in the young people's mental health field. I have learned so much working as a team and taking each of our perspectives into account to achieve a shared purpose. I am certain this experience will be a really valuable experience in my future career.”