Lanarkshire’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has a new clinical director following the appointment of Dr Lisa Sigouin.

A consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for the last 10 years, Dr Sigouin already has an ambitious vision to establish Lanarkshire as the standard bearer for CAMHS in Scotland.

One of her first aims is to maximise clinical time to ensure the service can see as many patients as possible. As part of this work, the service is working to manage emergency patients in a way which has less impact on non-emergency appointments.

Dr Sigouin said: “I’ve been a consultant with NHS Lanarkshire for the last decade and the service has always put the patient at the very centre of everything we do. I’m committed to ensuring we continue to do this so that our services make a positive, and lasting, impact on their lives.

“Part of this new role is managing our excellent team of consultants and medical staff and planning the future of the service. It’s important that we look after the wellbeing of our staff as well as ensuring we operate a robust and effective service for the young people of Lanarkshire.

“It’s a great honour and responsibility to be the new clinical director. It is incredibly encouraging knowing that every single person working in CAMHS is determined to do all we can to help the young people of Lanarkshire.

“We have been working extremely hard, and welcomed a number of new staff to our dedicated and highly experienced team, to make sure we provide a modern multi-disciplinary service and see patients quicker.

“In addition to the excellent team we have built here we’ll soon be moving into a new £1.5 million specialist centre based in Hamilton’s Udston Hospital which will transform the way our patients receive mental health care.

“This new outpatient facility will ensure we see young people in an environment that puts them at ease and is designed specifically for them.”

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, hosted by Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, assesses and treats young people, aged 18 and under, with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.