Triage: A waiting list initiative in a child mental health service

Abstract

Aims and method: Long waiting lists and failure to attend appointments are a common problem in child and adolescent psychiatry. We introduced a novel 'triage' stage waiting list initiative to decrease the long waiting time for a first appointment at our child mental health service. Results: The waiting time to first appointment was significantly reduced and increased satisfaction with this process was expressed by clinicians, the referred families and referrers. Clinical implications: The reduction in waiting time was sustained over time and the triage process has now been implemented as routine practice. Following this implementation, there is no longer a lengthy waiting list for treatment after initial assessment. We would recommend this initiative, which screened referrals more efficiently and accurately, as a successful model for other child and adolescent services with long waiting lists.