How can we improve mental health crisis services for young people? A survey of mental health crisis professionals across Greater Manchester

Background Healthcare providers have been under pressure to improve the provision of crisis mental health services in England. Through the process of devolution, Greater Manchester has created the Crisis Care Pathway to meet the growing demands on mental health crisis service provision for young people in the city region. At the end of the first funding cycle, this research evaluated the pathway with a focus on potential future improvements. Methods An online survey, including a mixture of quantitative, Likert scale items and qualitative, open-ended questions, was completed by 60 professionals working within crisis mental health services for young people in Greater Manchester. Results Analysis of the quantitative data identified 6 clear areas for improvement from the evaluative indicators: delivering support at a time that works for young people; delivering the right amount of help for the right length of time; providing services which are quickly available; services and agencies working together effectively; movement between services; fully integrated services. A further 3 super-ordinate themes were developed through thematic analysis of the qualitative data that indicate areas in need of improvement: The challenge of navigation, issues of accessibility into and between services, and how to improve integration. Conclusions This research found 7 clear actions to enhance the provision of crisis mental health services for young people in Greater Manchester, which may be transferable to other mental health crisis service contexts.