Funds for mental health services

The government has announced £31m to increase bed capacity and facilities for child and adolescent mental health services in England.

The government has announced £31m to increase bed capacity and facilities for child and adolescent mental health services in England.

The funding will be split between 17 projects, providing 150 new or refurbished beds. The move comes as part of the government's pledge to ensure that no child is treated on an adult mental health ward by this time next year.

Funding will also go towards community support, junior health minister Ivan Lewis said last week. 'Vulnerable children deserve age-appropriate services that recognise, irrespective of their condition, that they are first and foremost children,' he said.

Brian Rogers, professional officer for the Mental Health Nurses Association, welcomed the investment.

'They should not be at the mercy of adult patients who could be aggressive, even predatory. Ideally, we would like to see no child under 18 in this situation,' he said.