Child and adolescent mental health waiting times in NHS Ayrshire & Arran have worsened, despite the Scottish Government’s commitment to improve them a year ago.
The latest figures from ISD show that only 76% of patients in Ayrshire & Arran are now being seen within 18 weeks, a decline since the previous quarter where 81.6% of children were seen within 18 weeks.
The statistics come exactly a year after the Scottish Government’s major commitment in the programme for government to improving mental health services for children and young people, specifically promising “speedier access to specialist care for those who need it.”
The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“This is another disastrous set of mental health statistics from the SNP.
“Vulnerable children across Ayrshire are waiting too long for access to vital treatment.
“The health secretary has already admitted that the SNP is doing too little too late to tackle child and adolescent mental health issues.
“Last year Nicola Sturgeon committed to improving mental health services for children but now more children are waiting longer, with potentially devastating consequences.
“Time and again, the SNP make big promises and never deliver. These figures are the latest in a long line of failures by the SNP to perform when it comes to the NHS and patients are paying the price.”
