A RALLYING call has been made to improve mental health services in Cumbria after shock figures revealed that the number of children and young people self-harming has risen dramatically in the past decade.

The number of girls having to be treated in hospitals after cutting themselves has quadrupled in the last 10 years, with 2,311 cases recorded across the UK last year.

Self-Harm Awareness for All is a countywide charity that offers counselling and support to people who do harm themselves.

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Approximately 80 per cent of people referred to their service are women, with half of those aged between 11 and 19.

Rod White, chairman of SAFA, thinks that there is a link between self-harming and mental health issues and isn't surprised by the rise in national statistics.

He said: "The cogs of decision making seem to turn very slowly. Mental health services have got chronic problems in Cumbria and we are frustrated that they don't recognise the support that organisations like ours can give to statutory services."

Children and Mental Health Services has faced cuts in recent years with south Cumbria in particular being heavily affected. This has led to not enough psychologists being hired to help children with their mental health problems.

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Mr White added: "I don't know how many vacancies there are for mental health psychologists in south Cumbria, but I suspect there are several, and for patients that means they don't get consistency in their treatment.

"Every time, they have to talk to somebody different and go through how they got to that degree of ill health, which is a very daunting task.

"I would like to see better funding for mental health services both regionally and nationally and a closer relationship between ourselves and statutory services. There also needs to be more direction about the misuse of social media by young people."