Professional life in child and adolescent mental health services may be getting more complicated, but cases are not

Abstract

Aims and method: In 2006, staff in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in Lincolnshire, UK, felt that cases were becoming increasingly complex. The Pearce Case Complexity Scale (PCCS) and a staff opinions questionnaire were used to measure subjective and objective changes in case complexity in a relatively stable CAMHS service over a 10-year period from 1996 to 2006, with data examined between 2008 and 2010. Results: Clinicians reported an increase in case complexity over time. However, the PCCS did not show a significant change in the decade studied. Clinical implications: Staff anxiety could be a determinant of judgements they make about case complexity in CAMHS.