MENTAL health hospital admissions in young people in Mid Cheshire have soared in recent years.

Figures from a Freedom of Information request show that the number of patients aged 19 or younger admitted to hospital following A&E visits increased by 156 per cent between 2011 and 2016.

383 patients attended hospitals in Mid Cheshire over 2015/16, an increase of 55 per cent since 2011/12 saw 247 patients attend.

Of those patients, 74 were admitted to hospital in 2011/12 and this figure increased by 156 per cent when 190 young people were admitted in 2015/16.

The admissions were made to Leighton Hospital and Victoria Infirmary and were a mixture of drug related, psychiatric and self-harming reasons.

Nick Harrop, campaigns and media manager at YoungMinds, said: “It’s shocking to see the number of young people seeking help for their mental health problems from A&E increasing steadily year on year.

“Parents who call our helpline mention how unacceptable it is that their children must reach a state of crisis before they can get access to any support.

“Children and young people who are referred to mental health services are at the mercy of a postcode lottery.

“This lack of timely treatment means that problems often escalate and become more complex. It’s crucial for the government to invest more money in early intervention.”

National figures show that nearly 80,000 children and young people suffer from severe depression.

Dr Jean Jenkins, lead for mental health across NHS South Cheshire and NHS Vale Royal CCGs, said: “The CCGs are already carrying out work to understand why children and young people are going to A&E and to offer better alternatives to hospital care.

“We are concerned by the figures and are actively working on making sure the right support is in place.

“High-quality care for the population is the CCGs’ main priority, especially for children and young people’s mental health where the focus is on prevention and early intervention.”