Wait times for children’s mental health services met for third quarter in a row

Waiting time standards for young people accessing mental health care have been met for the third time in a row, figures show.

Over the last three quarters, at least 90% of those referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) were seen within the 18-week standard.

From April to June this year, 91.8% of young people were seen within this timeframe, data from Public Health Scotland showed.

The figure represents a slight increase from 91.6% the previous quarter.

The target was first met at the end of last year – the first time since its inception in 2014.

The figures come a week after a freedom of information request by the Scottish Liberal Democrats found some young people were waiting more than 1,000 days for mental health support.

In 2024-25, a patient in NHS Highland waited 1,189 days – more than three years – to start treatment with Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS).

Patients also waited more than a year to start treatment at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, the Borders, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lothian and Lanarkshire, where a person waited more than two years.

Tom Arthur, the minister for mental wellbeing, welcomed Tuesday’s figures but said there was “still more to do”.

He said: “I welcome the continued progress in these services – staff across Scotland are working hard to ensure children and young people are getting the support they need when they need it, and I am grateful for their continued dedication.

“We have exceeded our promise to provide funding for 320 additional staff for CAMHS by 2026, and this will have contributed to the improvements we are seeing.

“However, I am aware there is still more to do to ensure standards are consistent across the country and we are supporting all NHS Boards to meet the standard and continue development in the delivery of CAMHS and all mental health services.”