Scanlon: Children waiting three and a half years for mental health treatment

A freedom of information request to mainland NHS Boards carried out by Mary Scanlon MSP has revealed dramatic figures regarding waiting times for mental health treatment in Scotland. Some children can face a wait of up to three and a half years before receiving treatment for mental health problems whilst the top waiting times for adult psychology, psychiatric treatment and cognitive behavioural therapies can also run into years.

Commenting on the figures, Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Mary Scanlon MSP said:

"That a child in need of mental health treatment could be asked to wait for three and a half years to be seen is shocking. Immediate action must be taken to reduce these waiting times as we simply cannot afford to neglect the mental health of Scottish children.

"In Tayside the maximum wait is over two years for adult psychology services and psychiatric treatment. In Grampian and Highland it can take over two years to see a psychologist and in Dumfries and Galloway over a year. "

"If the Scottish Government are going to reach their target to reduce mental health waiting times for children to twenty-six weeks by March 2013 then action must be taken now to reduce these current waiting times. Given that 47% of incapacity benefit claimants have a mental health problem, there must be an increase in resources for mental health, to give an opportunity to get back to work under the proposed Welfare Reform system."

The huge inequalities in mental health waiting times from area to area were highlighted by Audit Scotland back in 2009.

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