A Rutherglen councillor is raising concerns about the accuracy of mental health treatment time statistics highlighted by the Scottish Government. Freedom of Information requests made by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that the mental health treatment time target for children and young people has not been met, with a cumulative 4.2 million days breached since 2019. NHS Lanarkshire is one of the health boards where waiting time target breaches have increased significantly since before the pandemic.
Since the Scottish Government set a target in December 2014 for young people to start mental health treatment within 18 weeks, the target has consistently been missed. Councillor Robert Brown, representing the Rutherglen South ward, expressed disappointment over the breaches, stating that children and their families experiencing mental health issues should not have to endure long waiting times.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats advocate for investing in reducing waiting times by increasing the number of counsellors in schools and mental health professionals in healthcare settings. Councillor Brown criticised the SNP for failing to meet the waiting time targets in the past decade and called for immediate action to address the issue.
In response to the criticism, the Scottish Government disputes the reported figures, claiming an overall decrease in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting lists. Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Maree Todd, highlighted that 89.1% of patients now start treatment within 18 weeks of referral, marking the best national performance since the target was introduced.
Minister Todd acknowledged the importance of addressing long waiting times, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving mental health services. Despite progress made, the government recognises the need to continue efforts to reduce waiting times even further.
The debate surrounding mental health treatment time targets underscores the ongoing challenges in providing timely and efficient mental health support to children and young people. Addressing these issues requires a collaborative effort between policymakers, healthcare providers, and mental health advocates to ensure that individuals in need receive the support they require promptly.