Capacity/Activity modelling Staffing CAMHS

Capacity/Activity modelling
Staffing
CAMHS Commissioners of targeted or specialist CAMHS (at tiers 2 and 3) need to take account of
and understand the workforce capacity and relevant resources that are required to meet the needs of
a population of children, young people and families. Commissioners need to know what their service
can provide in terms of activity within a given resource taking into account demographic factors
including deprivation indices, stability of population, ethnic mix and whether in a rural or inner city
area. In addition to this the quality and range of services provided by partner agencies in health,
social care, education and the third sector should also be taken into account (CR182 RCP 2013).
Commissioners and providers should work together to calculate the workforce capacity and skills
required to meet the needs of a particular population. This should include analysis of what is needed
to implement the recommendations of relevant evidence based clinical guidelines and future proofed
to meet the changing circumstances and needs of children and young people and new treatments
become available.
An example of a needs-based approach to calculating capacity and activity for CAMHS is provided in
Royal College of Psychiatry: Update of guidance on workforce, capacity and functions of CAMHS
which proposes the following:
th
 Specialist Tier 2/3 CAMHS up to the 18 birthday require 19.3 WTE clinicians per 100 000
total population for a non-teaching CAMHS centre and 24.2 WTE for a service that provides
teaching.
 The clinician key worker caseload should average at 40 cases per WTE across the service,
varying according to the type of cases held and other responsibilities of the clinician, which
impact on their job plan.
Matching demand and capacity is essential to ensure efficient service provision. It is however
recognised that calculating/projecting capacity and associated activity is difficult due to the significant
amount of variables that exists within populations and existing service delivery models. There are a
number of tools and resources available to support this process (this list is not exhaustive)
CAMHS Specific:
 Building and sustaining specialist CAMHS to improve outcomes for children and young people:
Update of guidance on workforce, capacity and functions of CAMHS in the UK. CR182 Royal
College of Psychiatry
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/usefulresources/publications/collegereports/cr/cr182.aspx
 Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA) http://www.capa.co.uk/
 Comprehensive CAMHS Integrated Workforce Planning Tool. CAMHS National Workforce
Programme http://www.chimat.org.uk/default.aspx?QN=CAMHSTOOL
 New Ways of Working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health: CAMHS National Workforce
Programme. http://www.chimat.org.uk/camhs/workforce/working
 Self-assessed skills audit tool (SASAT): comprehensive CAMHS integrated workforce planning.
CAMHS National Workforce Programme
http://www.chimat.org.uk/resource/item.aspx?RID=103044
 Kelvin RG (2005) Capacity of Tier 2/3 CAMHS and service specification: a model to enable
evidence based service development. Child and Adolescent Mental health,
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2005.00120.x/abstract
Further papers to consider
• Davey R and Littlewood S: You pays your money and you takes your choice: Helping
purchasers to commission an appropriate child and adolescent mental health service
http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/20/5/272.summary
• Goodman R (1997) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Reasoned Advice to
Commissioners and Providers. Maudsley Discussion Paper Number 4. Institute of Psychiatry.
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/iop/mentalhealth/publications/discussion-papers/assets/mdp04.pdf
NHS
 Demand and Capacity Planning: NHS Quality Improvement, Institute for Innovation and
Improvement.
http://www.institute.nhs.uk/quality_and_service_improvement_tools/quality_and_service_improve
ment_tools/demand_and_capacity_-_basic_concepts.html
 Matching capacity and demand; Process and systems thinking. NHS Quality Improvement,
Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?url=http://www.institute.nhs.uk/building_capability/building_improvem
ent_capability/improvement_leaders'_guides%253A_process_and_systems_thinking.html&rct=j&f
rm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ei=1YjfU66vG9GB7Qbl3oHAAg&ved=0CBQQFjAA&sig2=WjsJ6HrMsA
6-alqtptGGPA&usg=AFQjCNEg7F2ygWFz5fQj5lSY4cXN79QVJQ

How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide
to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability http://www.england.nhs.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/nqb-how-to-guid.pdf

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