Commissioning mental health services for children and young people is undoubtedly a challenging task due to the involvement of numerous stakeholders. Rather than focusing solely on services or commissioners, the key to success lies with the people within these organizations. Health commissioners are currently tasked with achieving transformation, a monumental change that goes beyond mere service redesign or transition.

The concept of transformation can be likened to the beloved childhood toy, Transformers. Just as these toys transformed from everyday objects into heroic beings, the goal of a transformation plan is to bring about a significant, life-saving change that positively impacts everyone involved. While change may be inevitable due to financial constraints and other factors, achieving true transformation requires vision, courage, and collaboration. It necessitates setting aside political differences between health, social care, and the voluntary sector to create something truly remarkable.

Before embarking on transformational plans, it's essential to seek evidence-based practices from successful services both in Britain and around the world. Reach out to these organizations, study their data and outcomes, and learn from their experiences, including the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. Patience is crucial when dealing with a complex system involving multiple stakeholders, as people might initially engage but then fall back into familiar routines, especially if they expect to move on to other opportunities soon.

Involving young people, their families, and friends from the outset is fundamental. They offer unique insights that commissioners cannot replicate and can challenge existing systems. They are also vital in designing methods to monitor and measure the success of the transformation, providing real-time feedback on progress.

Creating an expert reference group of local GPs, councillors, and third-sector organizations is equally important. These groups act as service users or front-line staff and can offer a different perspective on what will and won't work. Engaging them directly ensures that their voices are heard and prevents any potential undermining of the transformational change.

Courage plays a significant role in the transformation process. It takes courage to initiate change and to be open to admitting when things are not working, inviting constructive criticism. It also requires teamwork, with individuals sharing ideas, acknowledging mistakes, and blurring professional boundaries. A truly transformative approach might even involve sharing budgets, as seen in the example of DevoManc, which required genuine courage.

Transforming mental health services for young people and families is an endeavor that demands a collective commitment to weather both good and bad times together. Like Optimus Prime in The Transformers, it requires a willingness to take risks and a selfless dedication to the people being served, irrespective of background or affiliation. Only through such courage and collaboration can the true potential of transformational change be realized in mental health services for young individuals and their families.