Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 077-2026
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
1. Please provide, where this information is held in a reportable or centrally recorded format, the number of CAMHS patients under 18 who were prescribed psychotropic medication prior to a formal psychiatric diagnosis being recorded, in each of the last five financial years.
Our response:
Although prescribing data is available from the NHSBSA, it is only available by drug, the Trust is unable to identify if the prescribing was for CAMHS and whether the prescribing was’ prior to a formal psychiatric diagnosis being recorded.
You asked:
2. Please provide the Trust’s written policy or clinical governance guidance governing circumstances in which CAMHS clinicians may exclude a parent holding parental responsibility from communication about their child’s assessment, treatment or care
Our response:
Please click on link to access our Clinical Policy “Consent to Examination or Treatment” – CLP213 Consent Policy V10
You asked:
3. Please provide, where this information is held in a reportable or centrally recorded format, the number of CAMHS patients under 18 who were prescribed psychotropic medication following their first CAMHS appointment, in each of the last five financial years.
Our response:
Although prescribing data is available from the NHSBSA, it is only available by drug, the Trust is unable to identify if the prescribing was for CAMHS and whether the prescribing was’ prior to a formal psychiatric diagnosis being recorded or following their first CAMHS appointment.
You asked:
4. Please provide any Trust policy, guidance, or training material relating to how CAMHS clinicians should proceed where parents holding parental responsibility disagree about treatment decisions;
Our response:
Please click on link to access our Clinical Policy “Consent to Examination or Treatment” – CLP213 Consent Policy V10
You asked:
5. Please provide the average and median number of CAMHS clinical appointments attended by patients before psychotropic medication is first prescribed, for each of the last five financial years;
Our response:
The Trust is unable to provide this information as we are unable identify if the prescribing was for CAMHS and whether the prescribing was’ prior to a formal psychiatric diagnosis being recorded or following their first CAMHS appointment.
You asked:
6. Please provide any Trust policy, guidance, or training materials used within CAMHS which address how clinicians should respond where a parent disagrees with or refuses consent to proposed mental health treatment for a child.
Our response:
CAMHS complies with the Trust policy. Please click on link to access our Clinical Policy “Consent to Examination or Treatment” – CLP213 Consent Policy V10
You asked:
7. Please confirm whether the Trust records within its clinical or administrative systems whether all individuals holding parental responsibility were or are informed or consulted prior to treatment decisions being made for CAMHS patients. If such information is recorded, please confirm the fields or mechanisms used to record this information.
Our response:
The Trust does not formally record parental responsibility on its clinical recording systems.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.