AN EXTRA £5.5m is to be spent on improving and expanding children and young people's mental health services across Bradford and Airedale over the next five years.

With one in ten children living in Bradford needing support for mental health problems, the NHS investment will include developing a community-based eating disorder service so patients can stay at home instead of having to travel out of the area for treatment.

Dr Brendan Kennedy, chairman of the Clinical Commission Group's body responsible for transforming local mental health services said the plans are ambitious and will be a challenge but there is commitment to make them happen.

The NHS England cash will also see half of all district-wide secondary schools by 2017 having a named person responsible for mental health.

Other priority areas in the Future In Mind transformation plans will be out-of-hours crisis support, a First Response assessment service and plans to create a one stop shop or drop-in facility in the district for those who need help but are hard to reach.

The extra funding is part of a national NHS agenda to put mental health on a part with physical health illnesses.

All the local NHS clinical commissioning groups have worked with Bradford Council to draw up with their own plan for changes. The Bradford and Airedale plan in particular was praised for involving a wide range of stakeholders, including children and young people themselves.

Bradford has proportionately the third largest child population in the UK with 35 per cent of its residents aged under 19.

Dr Kennedy said: “With 75 per cent of mental health problems in adult life, excluding dementia, starting by the age of 18, there is a compelling case for change and investment in services for children and young people.

"That’s why this funding is such good news for Bradford and Airedale. Our plans are ambitious and it will be challenging to deliver everything we hope to, but there is a real commitment from all of us in health and our partner organisations to make some vital improvements for our young people.

“We now have a clear plan on where this money can be best spent, developed in consultation with children themselves. New and improved services will support children and young people with a wide range of needs, including treatment for eating disorders and specialist crisis support out of hours.”

A recent initiative already up and running to support changes ahead is a website funded by Bradford City CCG and developed in partnership with Barnardo’s. Thrivebradford.org.uk/ helps young people navigate through their teenage years from 13 to 19.