Hundreds of children and vulnerable young people endured waits of more than 18 weeks for mental health treatment last year in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, official figures show.

Jackie Baillie MSP has called on the Scottish Government to invest in mental health services for children and young people as the latest figures from ISD Scotland reveal that 260 children in Greater Glasgow and Clyde waited longer than 18 weeks between October and December 2018.

These figures reveal that a total of 756 children and young people living in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area waited longer than the 4 and a half month target time last year.

Startlingly, almost 20% of the vulnerable young people in Greater Glasgow and Clyde did not receive the care they needed in the time that they had been promised by the government.

Jackie said:

“Hundreds of vulnerable young people are being put at risk by long waiting lists for mental health treatment. It is simply unacceptable that almost 800 children and young people had to wait longer than 18 weeks for mental health treatment in their time of need.”

“The mental health of Scotland’s young people should be of top priority but chronic underfunding of health and social care services is impacting on patients. We cannot continue to fail our young people.

“Interruptions to services like this are critical. Long wait times can have a devastating impact on young people and early intervention is vital when a young person is struggling with mental health issues.”