Youth Mental Health globally and locally

2 editorials published in last week’s BMJ make bold the harsh reality for many young people finding their way in the economic recession which has reshaped the landscape regarding employment, education and training opportunities. BMJ 2013;347:f5270; BMJ 2013;347:f5612.

In the UK youth unemployment has risen 3x higher than the overall employment rate. High rates of joblessness are associated with increased rates of suicide, especially in men and young people. Job insecurity and  decreased earnings impact on relationships and are associated with increased alcohol consumption (Hawton & Haw, 2013).

Prolonged economic inactivity has profound effects on mental health with depression, alcohol or substance misuse and suicidal attempts significantly increased (Scott et al, 2013).  

It is incumbent on all of us who talk with young people in a professional capacity to be mindful of the external factors which shape so powerfully their inner worlds and impact directly on sense of self and well-being.

Tomorrow  the second International Association of Youth Mental Health opens and there will be a broad and multi-disciplinary discussion and debate on all aspects of youth mental health both nationally and globally.

Follow the discussions on #IAYMH2013

Check out the website www.iaymh2013.com

Best wishes

Jane Roberts

September Blog : La Rentree

Welcome  back to all as we enter  the beginning of the new academic year-  that lovely time of hope and unblemished stationery  which the French call La Rentree.!

Below is a photo of youth health services taken whilst on a brief sojourn in Lille, northern France- you see, even when on hol  youth health is never far from my mind...

I have a few announcements to make.

Firstly, I am delighted to welcome Dr Frances Baawuah as our new Clinical Support Fellow, 

Frances is a GP in South London with several years of clinical experience working at the Well Centre, Streatham.

 She will be working with me on the new RCGP Youth Mental Health Clinical Priority. Frances and I will be meeting our extended group of Stakeholders, from the Voluntary Sector and Collegiate Partners on Sept 25^th. We will be planning our next stage of the priority work programme. Frances will be leading on social media networking  and we will report back as plans develop.

Secondly we will be running a session on Friday 4^th October at RCGP Annual Conference at Harrogate: please join us there ( Session D1, 11.40-12.40).

Thirdly, I would like to  announce a new publications of note:

BMJ 10 minute consultation : Young people who self-harm by cutting

http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5250

Practice . 10 minute consultation

Young people who self harm by cutting

BMJ 2013; 347 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5250 (Published 30 August 2013)

Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f5250 

Authors

1. Jane H Roberts, general practitioner, clinical senior lecturer, Royal College of General Practitioners youth mental health clinical champion1,
2. Rachel Pryke, general practitioner partner2,
3. Margaret Murphy, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist3,
4. Lucie Russell, director of campaigns, young minds 4

Author Affiliations

1. Correspondence to: J H Roberts jane.roberts@sunderland.ac.uk

Rachel and I are very proud of our publication, and delighted  to have worked with one of the stakeholders: Young Minds, Lucie Russell. We hope our peers find it useful.

Forthcoming meetings of note

Addressing young people’s heath inequalities

http://www.ayph.org.uk/publications/318_Flyer%2017%20October%202013.pdf

The next  meeting of the RCGP Adolescent Health Group is our TelCon 12/09/13 and then full meeting in early December.

Anyy questions: please contact

Chair: jane.roberts@sunderland

Secretary ( & resident poet) :  Samir Dawlatly  s.dawlatly@nhs.net

Administratorpar excellence : Hannah Price hannah.price@rcgp.org.uk

With very best wishes

Jane