The Scottish Government has failed to meet its targets for children’s mental health treatment over the past decade, according to Freedom of Information Requests obtained by the Scottish Lib Dems. The target, which aims for young people to begin mental health treatment within 18 weeks, has been missed for at least 43,000 individuals, totaling more than four million days of delays. The Scottish Liberal Democrats are urging the government to invest in reducing waiting times and increasing mental health resources in schools.
Since the target was introduced in December 2014, it has not been achieved even once. Statistics from NHS Borders, Highland, Lanarkshire, and Orkney show a significant increase in waiting time target breaches, with NHS Borders experiencing breaches more than ten times higher than before the pandemic. Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton criticized the SNP for failing to clear mental health waiting lists, despite promising to do so by March 2023.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd acknowledged the challenges but highlighted the recent improvement in national performance against the mental health treatment time target. She mentioned the hard work of healthcare workers and the increase in mental health professionals over the past decade. Despite progress, Todd emphasized that long waiting times are unacceptable and announced an increase in the draft mental health budget for the next financial year to further improve services.
The ongoing struggle to meet children’s mental health targets in Scotland highlights the importance of investment in mental health resources and services. With increasing demand and delays in treatment, addressing these issues promptly is vital to ensure the well-being of young people in the country. Collaboration between the government, healthcare providers, and mental health organizations is crucial to improving access to timely and effective mental health support for children and adolescents.