Warnings of 'lost generation' as startling figures reveal 200 young people in the Highlands wait more than a year to see a mental health specialist
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Startling figures have revealed the number of young people in the Highlands waiting more than a year to see a mental health specialist has risen eight-fold in the past two years.
An Inverness Courier investigation found 200 under 18-year-olds were on the waiting list in the NHS Highland area as of last November.
Mental health charity Mikeysline said the pandemic had impacted significantly on the mental wellbeing of young people while regional Labour MSP Rhoda Grant described the waits as “unacceptable” and warned of the risk of a lost generation of young people experiencing mental health issues.
Citing other recently-published statistics, Mrs Grant said more than 25 per cent of referrals in the Highlands were waiting more than 53 weeks for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) although the Scottish Government’s own target was for 95 per cent to be seen within 18 weeks.
Last month NHS Highland’s director of public health, Dr Tim Allison, said a greater focus is required on improving mental health and wellbeing and reducing suicide rates across the region.
A spokesman for NHS Highland said, similar to other boards across the country, the CAMHS service here has had longer waiting times than it would have liked for some time, adding: “We are aware of the pressures and distress long waiting times are causing young people and their families, and we apologise for this.”
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request
Figures show that 720 under 18-year-olds were on the waiting list in the NHS Highland area as of last November. Of these, 200 had been waiting more than 53 weeks.
Obtained by the Inverness Courier through a Freedom of Information request, stats compare with a total of 489 in November 2019 when 27 had been waiting more than 53 weeks.
NHS Highland recognised prior to the pandemic that investment was needed in the service, particularly in terms of capacity.
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant said Highland Council was awarded money from the government in response to children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing issues arising as a result of the pandemic and she was keen to see how a project in Caithness could be expanded across the region.
She continued: “While I welcome this additional money to the council, it is concerning that CAMHS has such a long waiting list at NHS Highland. We are risking a lost generation of young people experiencing mental health issues.
“Health secretary Humza Yousaf needs to take action to ensure everyone gets the treatment they need and quickly.”
Coronavirus pandemic has impacted on mental wellbeing of young people
Emily Stokes, chief executive of the mental health charity Mikeysline, said the pandemic has impacted significantly on the mental wellbeing of young people.
Since last February, the charity has been providing an additional young person’s service and is very aware of the waiting times to access child and adolescent mental health services.
“Our aim, as well as supporting young people at an early stage, which can help prevent the need for more specialist intervention, is to help bridge the gap while young people are waiting for more specialist support,” Ms Stokes said.
“We are also aware of the counselling support available in secondary schools in Highland.
“Over the past year, we have supported referrals to the CAMHS team where we identify the additional needs that young people have through the one-to-one support we are providing.
“The past 23 months have had a significant impact on the mental wellbeing of young people, which is seen in the increased referrals to the CAMHS service as well as the corresponding increase in waiting times.
“We are aware that there has been significant investment in the service and hope that that will soon be reflected in the waiting time figures.”
She said in the meantime, the charity’s text-based support was available every evening for any young person in need. The charity also offers one-to-one support in several secondary schools and at its Hives.
Mikeysline’s text line help service is available at 07786 207755.
Support directed to health boards with the longest waits
Scottish Government mental health minister Kevin Stewart said long waits for CAMHS were not acceptable.
“It is encouraging to see progress towards meeting the waiting times target, with eight out of 10 children and young people seen within 18 weeks of a referral,” he said.
“But we are determined to further improve things, particularly in those areas where there have been increases in the number of children and young people waiting for over a year for treatment.
“This is why dedicated support is being directed to those health boards with the longest waits to clear all backlogs by March 2023.
“As part of this support, we have provided additional funding of £40 million to improve CAMHS this year, with £4.25 million directly focused on offering treatment to those already on waiting lists.”
A spokesman for NHS Highland said: “We started to change the way services were delivered at the beginning of the pandemic and this adaptation has regrettably meant additional delays in waiting times.
“The Scottish Government’s recovery and renewal fund has allocated considerable funding to improve mental health services for children and young people, and improvement work is well under way.
“We are working hard to improve access as quickly as possible.”
Greater focus required on improving mental health and wellbeing
