Slight decrease in child mental health service waiting time performance

Waiting time performance for child mental health services has decreased slightly in the latest data.

Figures for Scotland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) showed 84.1% of children and young people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral in the quarter ending June 2024.

This is down from 86.0% in the previous quarter, but an improvement on the same period in 2023.

The waiting times target is for 90% of children and young people to be seen within 18 weeks of referral, but this has never been met since its introduction in 2014.

During the three months ending June 2024, a total of 4,374 children and young people started treatment. This was a 7.8% increase on the previous quarter.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “The latest figures show that we continue to see an improvement in CAMHS waiting times compared with the previous year.

“In the first half of this year, we are seeing the best national performance since the 18-week standard was introduced in 2014.

“The overall CAMHS waiting list decreased by 25.9% in the previous year, and the number of children waiting over 18 weeks decreased by 23.4%, while the number of children waiting over 52 weeks decreased by 50.4% over the same period. CAMHS teams are responding well to demand, with one in two young people starting treatment within six weeks.”

She continued: “This has been made possible by the hard work of the CAMHS workforce, which has increased by more than 63% in the last decade. This has been supported by our record high investments, which has delivered £55.5 million additional funding in CAMHS in 2023-24.

“Despite these positive figures, we are not complacent. We remain committed to supporting all boards to meet the standard that 90% of patients start treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

“It is vital that all children and young people receive the right support, at the right time.”

Paul Sweeney, Scottish Labour’s mental health spokesman, said: “Behind these numbers are families who are desperately trying to help their children but have ended up in limbo instead.

“Four months is a long time for any young person and, for some, it may be the most critical time in their life.

“The SNP must wake up to the mental health crisis on its doorstep and act now before a whole generation are betrayed.

“Scottish Labour will invest in our NHS and bring waiting times down so that every child or young person who asks for help can get it.”

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The SNP have repeatedly raided tens of millions from the mental health budget, adding to the agony of everyone waiting an age to be seen.

“Scotland needs world-class mental health services.

“Liberal Democrats would increase the tax on the social media giants who cause so much of the problem – a move that could help fund more mental health support in schools, get more professionals close to where you live, and ramp up the training of new staff and mental health first aiders.”