Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40229828›Full record

Trial reportBMC health services research2025

Clinical effectiveness of drop-in mental health services in paediatric healthcare settings: a non-randomised multi-site study for children, young people and their families.

Anna Roach, Sophie Bennett, Isobel Heyman, Anna Coughtrey, Neha Batura, Lina Gonzalez, Nicki Astle, Rebekah Coates, Jessie Drinkwater, Rebecca Evans and 19 more

Abstract readClinical TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

29 authors.

Anna RoachUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK. anna.roach.21@ucl.ac.uk.
Sophie BennettUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Isobel HeymanUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Anna CoughtreyUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Neha BaturaCentre for Global Health Economics, UCL Institute for Global Health, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Lina GonzalezResearch Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
Nicki AstleHinchingbrooke Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 6NT, UK.
Rebekah CoatesLeeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Paediatric Psychology, E Floor Martin Wing, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3EX, UK.
Jessie DrinkwaterUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Rebecca EvansSheffield Children's Hospital, 3 Northumberland Road, Sheffield, S10 2TT, UK.
Una FrederickPeterborough City Hospital, Edith Cavell Campus, Bretton Gate, Peterborough, PE3 9GZ, UK.
Michael GroszmannUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Steve JonesSheffield Children's Hospital, 3 Northumberland Road, Sheffield, S10 2TT, UK.
Katie McDonnellUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Sarah MarleyLeeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Paediatric Psychology, E Floor Martin Wing, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3EX, UK.
Amanda MobleyLeeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Paediatric Psychology, E Floor Martin Wing, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3EX, UK.
Abbie MurrayPeterborough City Hospital, Edith Cavell Campus, Bretton Gate, Peterborough, PE3 9GZ, UK.
Helena O'SullivanUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Sarah OrmrodUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Nyah PatelUCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, UK.
Theo PrendegastUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Usha RajalingamHinchingbrooke Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 6NT, UK.
Venkat ReddyChild Development Centre, City Care Centre, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Thorpe Road, Peterborough, PE3 6DB, UK.
Ameenat Lola SoleboUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Isabella StokesUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Emily WebsterSheffield Children's Hospital, 3 Northumberland Road, Sheffield, S10 2TT, UK.
Rebecca WebsterChild Development Centre, City Care Centre, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Thorpe Road, Peterborough, PE3 6DB, UK.
Gareth VintonUniversity College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Roz ShafranUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.

Funding

Beryl Alexander Charity and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity 16HN11
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite the high prevalence of mental health disorders in children and young people with long-term health conditions, access to timely and effective treatment is often difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of drop-in mental health services for young people with long-term health conditions and their families at six paediatric healthcare settings in England.

methodsThis was a prospective non-randomised single-arm multi-centre interventional study. Young people up to 25 years old with a long-term health condition, and their families were eligible. The primary outcome was the change in the total difficulties score on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire between baseline and 6 months. Interventions provided were standard evidence-based low intensity cognitive-behaviour therapy, onward referral or signposting. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, depression, anxiety, satisfaction with services and cost.

resultsAccessing the drop-in services led to significant reductions in emotional and behavioural symptoms (p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.39) and improved quality of life (p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.44). Parental depression and anxiety significantly improved (p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 0.30 and d = 0.34). The average waiting time for an initial assessment was 13.42 days. High levels of satisfaction were reported. The cost per patient was approximately half the estimated cost of a typical course of psychological therapy.

conclusionsDrop-in mental health services are effective and acceptable and can be delivered at low cost per patient for young people with long term conditions. This model of care is a feasible approach for increasing access to evidence-based mental health treatment in paediatric healthcare settings.

trial registrationISRCTN15063954, Registered on 9 December 2022.

Indexed as

Mental DisordersMental Health ServicesAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolCognitive Behavioral TherapyEnglandFemaleHumansMalePatient SatisfactionProspective StudiesQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultChildrenImplementationLong term conditionsMental healthYoung people

Identifiers

PMID40229828
PMCPMC11998343

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.