"It hardly needs restating that mental health services are grossly overstretched and underresourced, and an inquiry is necessary. This is a particular problem in child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs). When I was working as a clinical psychologist and involved in a Camhs autism diagnosis team 15 years ago, the waiting time for an autism assessment was around four to six months. Nowadays a waiting time of up to two years is common."
"Nevertheless, Harris dismisses too quickly Suzanne O'Sullivan's thoughtful book, The Age of Diagnosis. O'Sullivan argues persuasively that diagnosis should be conducted with a specific purpose in mind and make a practical difference for the patient. She explains that this is often not the case. Similarly, it is often unnecessary to fit somebody into a diagnostic category to offer them appropriate help. But some evidently find this hard to accept."
Criticism that concern about mental health overdiagnosis is purely political overlooks clinical and service-driven reasons for review. Ministers naturally weigh political factors, but the review must address widespread understaffing and resource shortages across mental health services. Child and adolescent mental health services face particularly severe delays: autism assessment waiting times have grown from around four to six months fifteen years ago to commonly up to two years now. Examination of overdiagnosis is appropriate and is being pursued soberly by clinicians and researchers. Diagnosis should be made with specific practical purpose and need not always place individuals into formal diagnostic categories.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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