Labour will end ‘scandalous’ failures on young mental health support – Sarwar

Anas Sarwar has promised to end the SNP’s “scandalous” failures on mental health support for young Scots.

The Scottish Labour leader unveiled a package of measures to improve services if his party wins the Holyrood election.

Mr Sarwar said his plans would ensure young people would not “fall through the cracks” created by the SNP.

A new system of support for children and young people would be created “immediately” upon referral to CAMHS “so kids don’t have to wait for the help they need”.

The party said it would also set up a dedicated community link worker service in all CAMHS teams to create “wraparound” support for young people on lists.

Mr Sarwar said: “I’ve lost count of the number of families that have told me that they’ve had to take their loved one, their child, to other parts of the UK to get a private diagnosis when it comes to neurodiversity.

“So we are going to change that broken system to make sure we have the system that works for the future generations of this great country.”

Scottish Labour also vowed to improve mental health care for adults by expanding support for those with mild to moderate conditions in primary care, improving access to self-referral pathways and providing better support to neurodivergent Scots.

Mr Sarwar said: “Under the SNP, too many young people are falling through the cracks of a broken system in their hour of need.

“Too many young people face painfully long waits for treatment at CAMHS while thousands are turned away altogether.

“It is scandalous that children and young people are being failed in this way, but John Swinney and the SNP have more excuses than answers.”

He said a Scottish Labour government would “do the right thing by the next generation” and “fix the SNP’s mess in mental health services”.

He added: “We will expand mental health support in primary care and schools, help kids get help as soon as they are referred to CAMHS, and make sure autistic and ADHD children get specialist support.

“On May 7, we can end SNP mismanagement and deliver a Scottish Labour government that can get the basics right and make our NHS work as it should.”

Clare Haughey, the SNP’s candidate for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, said: “A larger number of people than ever before require mental health support, but under the SNP we have a record number of staff employed to do just that with our mental health budget set to exceed £1.5bn this year – that’s as part of a budget Anas Sarwar couldn’t even bring himself to vote for.

“We have met our CAMHS target for over a year and we are ensuring funding for counselling services throughout schools across Scotland – that’s what you get from an SNP government on Scotland’s side.

“Of course there is work to be done, but John Swinney has a plan for our NHS – including our young people’s mental health – and our plan is working.

“John Swinney’s strong leadership is focused on the priorities of the people of Scotland  – that’s what’s on the ballot in May.”