Huge 220 per cent surge in hospital admissions from young people self-harming in Wokingham

The latest available figures from Public Health England show that 128 10-24-year-olds were hospitalised in 2017, up from just 40 in 2012.

Data for the year ending 2017 also shows: 

• Of the 128 young people who were hospitalised as a result of self-harm in 2017, 43 were aged 20-24 years old, 68 were aged 15-19, and 17 were aged 10-14.
• In neighbouring Bracknell Forest, 107 young people were hospitalised after committing self-harm, whereas further afield the figure in Windsor and Maidenhead was 84 and in Slough it was 75.
• Eight young people (aged 10-34 years old) committed suicide in a four year period from 2013-2017.

Speaking about increasing self-harm rates at a meeting of Wokingham borough councillors, Rhosyn Harris, a Public Health Registrar at Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) said: “A number of young people say how lonely they feel.

“Not all young people that attempt self-harm do commit suicide, but the rate of young people that commit suicide after self-harming is far greater than those that do not self-harm."

(Figures from Public Health England)

Why are admissions rates going up?

These figures come just a week after Health Secretary Matt Hancock called for social media giants such as Instagram and Facebook to “purge” disturbing images on their sites following the death of teenager Molly Russell in 2017, whose online accounts were said to contain "distressing" pictures. 

Support group Self Harm UK told the News these images are "extremely harmful" to vulnerable young people who are often feeling isolated and showing signs of depression.

Tom Madders, Director of Campaigns at charity YoungMinds, told The News young people are facing "new pressures" in their day-to-day lives, including the rise of social media. 

This phenomenon, he said, can make problems like bullying or body image issues "more intense" than they were in the past. 

The director also laid blame at the door of the education system, which "now places a greater emphasis than ever on exam results."

Charity Emerge Advocacy pointed out a reduction in services, such as fewer school counsellors and youth services, has compounded increased strain on mental health services in the south.

Closer to home, Wokingham borough Healthwatch chief Nicola Strudley believes that because the district is quite an "affluent, middle-class area", a lot of parents might not be aware of some of the struggles their children face daily. 

She said: "They are not going hungry and there is no domestic violence.

“But the pressures on young people these days are greater than ever."

What is being done to support young people?

"What young people are saying to HealthWatch is we would rather talk to peers than talk to an adult as this would trigger a safeguarding process", Nicola told the News.

Young people in the borough can access a service called Kooth, where forums and messaging services are available to talk about mental health issues with other young people.

And efforts are being made by Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BHNHS) to support young people too.

A spokesman from BHNHS said: "Recent new health funding has been used locally to increase the availability of early help services in the community, including mental health support in schools and youth counselling.”

Representatives from WBC are visiting schools in the borough to signpost these support groups to children and young people.

Support for young people is available from a number of different places.

Reach out to Emerge at www.emergeadvocacy.com

Additional help and support is available from NHS Berkshire’s mental health team here: https://cypf.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services/mental-health-services-camhs/

Young Minds can be contacted here: https://youngminds.org.uk/

Reach out to Self Harm UK here: https://www.selfharm.co.uk/

Healthwatch Wokingham Borough can be contacted via 0118 418 1 418

And Wokingham Borough Council have support available here: CMHT@wokingham.gov.uk