A Triage Clinic in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

Aims: To determine whether non-urgent referrals can be adequately assessed in a triage clinic, to determine the service outcome of these referrals, and whether triage was acceptable to families, referrers and CAMHS clinicians.
Method: Families, CAMHS clinicians and GPs were surveyed to ascertain the acceptability of triage. Non-attendance and outcome of triage were recorded.
Results: Ninety-two cases were included and the DNA rate fell by one-third.
Conclusions: Overall, clinicians and families reported high rates of satisfaction with triage (93.7% and 95.2%) and multidisciplinary working improved.