Number waiting more than nine weeks for CAMHS assessment rising
The number of children and young people waiting for a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) assessment has fallen slightly in the Western Health and Social Services Trust (WHSCT) area in the last quarter.
However, the number has risen in comparison to this time last year.
CAMHS delivers mental health services to children and young people with mental health concerns up to the age of 18.
According to the quarterly CAMHS waiting time statistics published on Thursday by the Department of Health, 507 children and young people in the WHSCT area were waiting on an assessment as of March 31, 2025 - six people less than the December 31, 2024, figure of 513.
However, compared to the March 31, 2024 figures there are currently 73 more people waiting on a CAMHS assessment than 12 months ago. In addition, the number of people waiting more than nine weeks for a CAMHS assessment in the WHSCT area has risen steadily in the past year.
On March 31, 2024 it was 276 and on December 31, 2024 it was 353. On 31 March, 2025, the figure was 354 - an increase of 78 children and young people.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has had no-one waiting more than nine months for a CAMHS assessment since September 30, 2024.
Belfast HSC Trust waiting times from June 2024 to March 2025 are not currently available to make a comparison or find out the total number of patients in the North waiting on a CAMHS assessment, due to the roll-out of Encompass.
Encompass is a Health and Social Care programme that has created a single digital care record for every citizen in Northern Ireland who receives health and social care.
Northern HSC Trust waiting times for December 2024 and March 2025 are also not currently available due to the roll-out of Encompass and are therefore excluded for December 2024 and March 2025; this also affects the North’s total.