Youth psychiatry delays in capital region

In the capital region of Denmark, only 13% of child and adolescent psychiatry patients were assessed within the 30-day goal during March, April, and May, reports Sundhedsmonitor. This significant drop comes after a change in reporting practice following criticism from the National Audit Office of Denmark. Previously, patients are recorded as assessed after the first consultation, even if the evaluation was incomplete. Consultant psychiatrist Nina Tejs Jørring calls this ‘our biggest failure at the moment.’ Region Hovedstaden aims to assess at least 70% within 30 days, a goal deemed unrealistic by Peter Westermann, the chair of psychiatric care in the region. Increasing referrals and limited capacity have led to longer wait times. Despite a sizeable increase in patient numbers over the last decade, from 3000 to 6300, resources have only increased by 25%, making it difficult to keep pace with the growing demands.