Children and young people arriving at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in mental health crisis are receiving faster, more comprehensive support thanks to a pioneering specialist nursing initiative.
Amy Fawcett, Children and Young People Mental Health Nurse, has been working across the Emergency Departments and Children’s Wards at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Hospital since January 2026, supporting young people with mental health concerns and helping families navigate often complex issues.
Amy’s role, the first of its kind at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, was created to provide dedicated mental health expertise within the hospitals, ensuring that children and young people receive timely support, appropriate assessments, excellent care and better connections with community services.
The initiative began as pilot project funded by Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and is now permanently funded by UHMBT.
Across both sites, an average of 677 children aged from 0 to 18 years have attended the EDs with mental health concerns each year from 2021 to 2025, illustrating that there is a big demand for the type of support Amy provides.
Amy works closely with families, ward teams, colleagues, safeguarding services and specialist mental health professionals to coordinate care and help young people access the support they need as quickly as possible.
Before taking up the role, Amy was a Staff Nurse on the Neonatal Unit at the RLI. She completed CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) training and spent time working alongside specialist services to build her knowledge in caring for children and young people presenting in crisis.
She also shadowed colleagues within children’s mental health services, including CAMHS practitioners, to better understand pathways, assessments and the support available across the wider system. Before qualifying as a nurse, Amy worked at The Cove Tier 4 inpatient mental health unit in Heysham, which gave her valuable insight into specialist mental health care for children and young people.
Amy said: “I genuinely love this role. When young people come into hospital in a mental health crisis, it can be an incredibly difficult and frightening experience, not just for them but for their parents and families too.
‘’Being able to support them at that point, listen to what they need and help connect them with the right services is the part of the job I enjoy most. Quite often, it is the first time they've had contact with any kind of mental health support, so it’s important that experience is a positive one.”
“An acute hospital is not always the most appropriate place for a young person experiencing a mental health crisis. Where it is safe and appropriate to do so, we work with colleagues across health and care services to ensure children and young people can access the support they need without spending longer than necessary in hospital.
‘’That is better for them and it also helps our EDs and wards continue caring for other patients who need urgent treatment.”
Will Fielding, Mental Health Matron at UHMBT, said: “Amy has helped create a more responsive and coordinated approach for children and young people who attend our services in distress.
“At the same time, the role is helping to ease pressure on our EDs and Children’s Wards by ensuring patients receive timely assessments, effective coordination and appropriate onward support. The results we have seen so far have been extremely encouraging and we are committed to continuing to develop services that improve outcomes for children and young people.”
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