Fighting for fair play
Matthew Collett-Leslie chronicles his struggle to access the support he needs to help him succeed at school and beyond
My name is Matthew, I am 15 years old and have been diagnosed with Autism.
For all of my life I knew there was something different about me, but frustratingly, and agonisingly, I was left undiagnosed. Despite my father’s and my own attempts, it wasn't until secondary school that I was finally sent to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). CAMHS is the only mental health service run by the NHS for young people. In theory, they should make the world of difference to someone like me, but often that’s not the reality.
Unfortunately, due to NHS cuts and a lack of understanding and public knowledge, the service is simply not up to scratch. It took CAMHS two long years to diagnose me, with up to eight months between appointments. One in 10 young people have a mental health disorder, and for many, CAMHS is the only place where they can receive real help. 8 months is just too long to wait.
I was on the news last year for starting a petition asking to reduce the CAMHS waiting lists, which was featured on BBC South East Today and Channel 5 News, as well as in local newspapers and radio channels. I strongly believe that my diagnosis would have taken even longer without this media attention. To be in the dark for so long without any sense of urgency or importance was incredibly frustrating and stressful, but it encouraged me to fight so that other people like me can get the help and support they deserve.
I have emailed the NHS numerous times but never once received a reply. Recently, I gained 1,000 signatures to my petition, and because of this I attempted to email again - and this time they replied, with the head of the NHS Sussex Partnership Trust wanting to meet with me and discuss my ideas for the future. I hope that this meeting will allow real change to happen to CAMHS, as well as the reduction of waiting times for people who are in need of support.
Matthew Collett-Leslie
My name is Matthew, I am 15 years old and have been diagnosed with Autism.
For all of my life I knew there was something different about me, but frustratingly, and agonisingly, I was left undiagnosed. Despite my father’s and my own attempts, it wasn't until secondary school that I was finally sent to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). CAMHS is the only mental health service run by the NHS for young people. In theory, they should make the world of difference to someone like me, but often that’s not the reality.
Unfortunately, due to NHS cuts and a lack of understanding and public knowledge, the service is simply not up to scratch. It took CAMHS two long years to diagnose me, with up to eight months between appointments. One in 10 young people have a mental health disorder, and for many, CAMHS is the only place where they can receive real help. 8 months is just too long to wait.
I was on the news last year for starting a petition asking to reduce the CAMHS waiting lists, which was featured on BBC South East Today and Channel 5 News, as well as in local newspapers and radio channels. I strongly believe that my diagnosis would have taken even longer without this media attention. To be in the dark for so long without any sense of urgency or importance was incredibly frustrating and stressful, but it encouraged me to fight so that other people like me can get the help and support they deserve.
I have emailed the NHS numerous times but never once received a reply. Recently, I gained 1,000 signatures to my petition, and because of this I attempted to email again - and this time they replied, with the head of the NHS Sussex Partnership Trust wanting to meet with me and discuss my ideas for the future. I hope that this meeting will allow real change to happen to CAMHS, as well as the reduction of waiting times for people who are in need of support.
Matthew Collett-Leslie