Child mental health support waiting times slip in Forth Valley
NHS Forth Valley chiefs say plans are in place to improve waiting times for the service that offers specialised support to children and young people with severe and complex mental health problems.
Members of NHS Forth Valley’s board heard that CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service) has been facing “significant workforce, financial and operational pressures” that have resulted in a deterioration in the time it takes from referral to treatment.
In August, just 34 per cent of patients were seen within the Scottish Government’s guideline of 18 weeks, compared to a national target of 90 per cent.
The service has previously been criticised for long delays but there had been improvement and in February it was announced that 100 per cent of those referred had been seen within the 18 week target.
However, at a meeting of NHS Forth Valley board this week, members were told that while children and young people were initially being seen quickly, staff shortages meant they were then having to wait for a long time for follow-up appointments.
A decision was made to prioritise those who had already been referred to the team in order to address the longest waits.
While this meant that the service’s compliance with the national target dropped significantly, senior staff felt it was the right approach.
The board was told that the “approach is intended to reduce clinical risk and improve equity of access for those experiencing the longest delays”.
The board also heard that recruitment of more staff is now well underway and a workforce recovery plan is being implemented.
If new staff are successfully recruited as expected, waiting times should begin to improve by the start of next year, while national standards should be met by September 2027.
Members were concerned to know that safeguards are in place for children who are faced with waiting months to be seen, but they were assured that referrals have not stopped and urgent cases are being seen.
The board was also told that the September deadline had been set because staff have been doing a lot of overtime to try to meet targets and managers want to make sure they are not being put under too much pressure while they meet patients’ needs.
The board also heard that similar problems are being experienced across Scotland as demand for the service continues to be high.
Parents who are worried about their childrens’ mental health can get more information on NHS Forth Valley’s website.