Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton constituency, has demanded action on ‘shocking’ waits for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) with the latest figures showing less than half of patients were being seen within the Scottish Government target of 18 weeks.

The most recent statistics on wait times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, up until the end of last year, show there are almost 2691 people on the waiting list across the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

For the quarter ending December 2021, out of the 1561 people referred to the service, less than half (49.5 percent) were given an appointment within 18 weeks while 11.8 percent were seen between 19 and 35 weeks of referral and 32.2 percent were seen between 36 and 52 weeks. There were 102 young people (6.5 percent) in the health board area, which covers West Dunbartonshire, waiting for over a year.

This is despite the SNP government aiming to treat 90 percent of those referred within 18 weeks.

Jackie Baillie MSP said: “Young people have borne the brunt of much of this pandemic and as a result we know many young people are dealing with mental health issues.

“Despite this, the SNP government has failed to properly support CAMHS services.

“Thousands of young people are regularly waiting over the 18-week target time to begin treatment including many in the Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Balloch areas. Shockingly, almost a third are being forced to wait somewhere between nine months and a year for an appointment. This is far too long for a young person struggling mentally but has found the strength to call for help.

“We cannot have a situation in which thousands of young people go without treatment due to the SNP’s failure to support CAMHS services. CAMHS staff work incredibly hard but there are not enough of them.

“Kevin Stewart has entirely failed to heed the calls of the experienced staff and those with lived experience – he still seems unable to turn things around for young people and their families.

“This has to end – it’s high time that the SNP stopped turning their backs on CAMHS staff and service users and took action.”