Scottish government told to do better over ‘disappointing’ child mental health services
The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland have called for sustained investment in mental health after figures showed more than a quarter of children and young people waited longer than the government’s target time for specialist help.
The latest figures showed that over April to June, 73.8% of patients were seen by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) within 18 weeks.
That is down from the 74.2% achieved in the first three months of 2023, and is well below the Scottish Government’s target of having 90% of children and young people start receiving treatment within 18 weeks of being referred.
In the three months to the end of June, data from Public Health Scotland showed 5,093 youngsters started receiving help from Camhs – with this up from 4,920 in the previous quarter, but lower than the total of 5,206 from April to June 2022.
There were 6,667 children and young people waiting to start treatment, with the total number on the waiting list down by 13.4% on the previous quarter, and almost a third (31.5%) lower than it was when compared to April to June last year.
That includes 224 youngsters who have been waiting for a year or more.
Dr Helen Smith, chair of the Camhs faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, said: ‘These are terribly disappointing statistics which are way off the Scottish Government’s own targets. Our children and young people deserve better.
‘Investment in mental health support services at all levels needs to be sustained and planned to enable services to meet the increasing demand.
‘It’s time for the Scottish Government to now focus and outline how they intend to meet their own goals, which includes using one percent of what is spent on health to support the mental health needs of our young people by 2026.’
During the summer, Scottish mental wellbeing minister Maree Todd said that progress had been made on waiting times over the previous year, but accepted that targets had been missed.
Only around 60% of patients started treatment in Camhs within 18 weeks of referral in the third quarter of 2020, but the 80% achieved a year later has not been matched since, and the 90% target has not come close to being met at any time in the last four years.
Image: Helena Lopes
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