Dear FOI officer,

I should like to request the following information about the support provided by General Practitioners to people under the age of 18 who are experiencing mental health problems, emotional distress, or suicidal thoughts/feeling in Luton, which falls within the geographical remit of your organisation.

I would like to know this information to understand better the support that is available to people aged under 18 who are experiencing emotional distress and/or at risk of suicide.

Specifically, I would like to know:
• Number of people under 18 that have received support for
1. mental health problems
2. emotional distress, and/or
3. suicidal thoughts/feelings from a GP in the most recent reporting period (quarter or year)
• Current waiting time to see a GP
• Organisations that GPs regularly refer under 18’s to
• Organisations that GPs regularly signpost under 18’s to
• How many GPs have a specialist remit covering:
1. mental health,
2. suicide prevention, and/or
3. support for people under 18 who are experiencing suicidal thoughts/behaviours
• Any structured educational or awareness raising activities that GPs undertake with:
1. people under the age of 18 in relation to mental health or emotional/psychological wellbeing
2. professionals who have contact with people under the age of 18
• Any structure suicide prevention work that GPs undertake with people under the age of 18

For each GP in Luton, I would also like to request a copy of their:
• Safeguarding policy
• Confidentiality policy
• Policy statement in relation to capacity, decision making and choice
I should prefer to receive these in electronic format at this email address, however, I am happy to receive them by post if that is more convenient.

It would be helpful if you were to provide any brief notes which might be necessary to understand the context of the information provided, although I recognise that you are not obliged to do this. If for any reason you feel this request is unclear, please do not hesitate to contact me on 07866 105 093. If you are not the appropriate authority for this request, or for part of it, please let me know as soon as is convenient.

If the information requested contains sections of confidential information, please blank out or remove these sections, and mark clearly that they have been removed.
Thank you for your help.
Kind regards,

Jennifer Holly