EXTRA training has been pledged to tackle the issue of young people – often classed as suicide risks – being admitted to adult mental health wards in Lancashire.

Eleven such incidents have been reported to the board of Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust since April. 

This has exceeded the full-year total of just nine for 2011-12. Many of the admissions are said to have occurred ‘out of hours’ and the trust has ordered a review.

Each time The Platform, the dedicated unit for 16 to 18-year-olds at the Royal Preston Hospital, has been full. Trust board members have been told that child mental health experts and frontline staff are to be given additional training in early 2013 about managing self-harm in young people.

It is hoped this will prevent teenage patients attending accident and emergency wards in a crisis – which then will see them admitted to paediatric wards or adult units if they are oversubscribed.

An updated admissions guide is also now expected to be in circulation.