'˜Support is welcome but we still need beds'

The new 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service means youngsters suffering severe emotional distress in Hull and the East Riding can get help from nurses at home, school or their GP practice.

It follows a long-running campaign for better treatment by Sally Burke, whose 14-year-old daughter Maisie has a history of anxiety, depression and self-harm, which attracted thousands of signatures, and backing from the family’s MP Alan Johnson, a former Health Secretary, and Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell, who lives with depression.

Ms Burke said the campaign would continue to fight for the unit while chief executive of mental health charity Hull & East Yorkshire Mind David Smith said it was needed to avoid the “devastating” impact of youngsters being sent miles from home for treatment.

Mr Smith said: “The latest we are hearing is that it could be 2018 before children and young people’s beds are available which is completely unacceptable - that is two years down the line.

“We have young people in the area who need support now and it is having a devastating effect on them and their family being located outside the city.”

Humber NHS Foundation Trust chief executive David Hill said they were delighted the team of 12 mental health nurses was now up and running and it was able to provide a “robust crisis response.”

The new service has been phased in over the last couple of months. Since December 7 when it was extended to seven days a week, there have been 25 referrals. It now has a single point of contact on 01482 335600.