Key Takeaways from an EN-CAMHS Advisory Member

Hi, I'm Anam,

I’m a psychology graduate from The University of Manchester and am passionate about psychological research. I’ve been involved with the EN-CAMHS projects since 2021 and am currently a member of the young person’s advisory group (YPAG). I’m also a part of the project management group (PMG) for EN-CAMHS 2, where I provide input from the perspective of a young person. 

It’s been amazing witnessing the project progress over the years from the very beginning. The first project (EN-CAMHS 1) explored the problems with current CAMHS referrals, and EN-CAMHS 2 (where we are now) developed a potential solution - the creation of a digital referral tool that will be piloted across CAMHS teams, in the hope that it will improve the current CAMHS referral process. 

My role involved informing the delivery of the research project and providing feedback on materials throughout the project, and I will also be involved in the analysis of data. 

During EN-CAMHS 1, I was involved in advising on advertisement and recruitment strategies for the project and reviewing focus group questions. I took part in finding solutions to some of the problems highlighted by the focus groups, for example, the potential distress that might follow after someone is not accepted by CAMHS. I was involved in discussions around how an unsuccessful CAMHS referral should be communicated and how we can make people feel more confident in a referral to an alternative service.  

I was also involved in the analysis of the focus group data and feedback around prevalent themes identified from the data on the current problems and potential solutions. At the end of EN-CAMHS 1, I was invited to a dissemination event where I was able to present to stakeholders and talk about my own experience and interest in being involved in the project. 

Currently, as part of EN-CAMHS 2, I have advised on how to balance discussions in mixed focus groups to ensure a young person’s view carries the same weight as a professional. I talked about how to make young people feel comfortable speaking up during these groups by breaking down the hierarchy and bringing it back to the common goal of improving referrals. One way I suggested doing this was by professionals introducing themselves using their first names instead of their professional titles. 

Other work has involved engaging in discussions and providing feedback on the digital tool prototype as part of an iterative agile design approach. I was involved in developing and refining the content (list of questions) to be featured in the digital referral tool, considering the order, clarity and accessibility for all the potential stakeholders (in particular CYP) who will engage with the tool. For example, I advised that letting referrers see all the questions listed on one page may be clearer so that they are aware of what questions to expect and how to break down their answers accordingly, instead of repeating themselves later on in the form again. Receiving an automatic email to confirm submission and having the option to download your answers and refer back to them can also be reassuring and extremely useful. 

I also fed back into the development on the design of the ‘think-aloud usability testing protocol’ and the case study examples intended to be used for the usability testing workshops with the Pan Disability Digital Accessibility Group. Looking ahead to the future, we discussed long-term sustainability, thinking about what happens to the tool at the end of the research grant funding period and how the digital tool could continue to be used through potential procurement frameworks.  

"I’ve come to understand the importance of getting accessibility right and reaching out to a diverse audience to try and achieve this."

I’ve learnt that research and implementation takes time, and it is not something to rush. I’ve learnt about the importance of looking ahead at long-term sustainability once funding for a research project has ended and collaborating with different stakeholders to achieve this. For example, MQ Mental Health Research Charity has been working alongside EN-CAMHS on a separate project called FORESIGHT. This is looking at how we can ensure the digital tool can be made into a sustainable, nationally standardised platform to create real-world impacts for CYP mental health.

I’ve come to understand the importance of getting accessibility right and reaching out to a diverse audience to try and achieve this. For example, this project established the Pan Disability Digital Accessibility Group, which encompasses people with a variety of disabilities and diagnoses. Here, individuals were consulted with and asked to test the tool at usability workshops to ensure that it is accessible for individuals with different needs. 

Overall, I have enjoyed the collaborative aspect of this project, with everyone working towards this common goal and watching the project develop over the months. As a young person myself, I particularly enjoy when I get to interact with other young people for this purpose. It feels good to create a comfortable, non-judgmental environment and make everyone's contribution feel valuable. Everyone brings different skills and different life experiences. Different people may experience and interpret things differently; that’s why doing collaborative work can be really helpful, as it allows for the thoughts of people with different backgrounds to be included. 

Anam Bhutta 

EN-CAMHS 1 & 2 YPAG and PMG Member