Labour candidate's claims over CAHMS service disputed by NHS Forth Valley who say there has been 'significant investment'

Labour candidate for Falkirk West, Paul Godzik, has said NHS Forth Valley’s spending on Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), is being underfunded by nearly 50 per cent.

He said that “despite a ‘national crisis’ in mental health services” and a target to hit one per cent of overall funding on CAMHS, Royal College of Psychiatry figures show NHS Forth Valley spent just 0.51 per cent of their budget on children and young people’s mental health in 2022/23.

However, the health authority said it has made “significant investment” in the service and has met its target for the last 15 months.

Mr Godzik said: “Over the last few weeks, I’ve talked to a significant number of local people who are hugely concerned about mental health services and the waiting times for some children and young people.

“It’s clear that staff on the ground are battling against rising demand with a falling slice of the pie. Far too many young people are being left on waiting lists. Some children and young people are being denied assessments for several years, which can have a profound effect on young people and their families.

“Under the SNP services are suffering, targets are being missed, and local families are paying the price.”

However, a spokesperson for NHS Forth Valley disputed his claim that “despite an SNP Scottish Government commitment to see 10 per cent of NHS funding invested in mental health services not one NHS Board across Scotland is meeting the target”.

This week the Scottish Government said the national standard on waiting times for children and young people accessing mental health services has been met for the second quarter in a row.

It added the latest Public Health statistics show 91.6 per cent of those referred to CAMHS were seen within 18 weeks from January to March with the target 90 per cent.

The figure is an increase from 90.6 per cent for the previous quarter and from 86 per cent for the same quarter in 2024.

On Monday Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd visited the CAMHS service in Forth Valley to thank staff for their efforts.

She said: “We want all children and young people to be able to access appropriate mental health treatment as and when they need to, and this continued progress on waiting times is testament to the hard-working staff who care for those referred to these services.

“We have exceeded our promise to provide funding for 320 additional staff for CAMHS by 2026 and this will no doubt have contributed to the improvements we are seeing but I am well aware there is still much to be done if this is to be sustained and consistent across Scotland.

“However, we are on the right path and the £123.5 million we have allocated to NHS Boards this year will mean the quality and delivery of all mental health services – including CAMHS – will continue to improve.”

Lesley Dunabie, department manager & head of nursing for NHS Forth Valley CAMHS, said: “We are delighted that the changes introduced by local staff over the last 18 months have made such a positive impact to our waiting times and significantly improved the services and support available for children and young people with serious mental illness.

“We are committed to building on this by continuing to develop and improve local services for children and young people and working with a wide range of partners to help increase access to support in local schools and communities at an earlier stage.”

A spokesperson for NHS Forth Valley said: “Significant investment has been made in developing and improving mental health services and support for children and young people across the area.

"This, along with other changes, has led to NHS Forth Valley having some of the lowest waiting times in Scotland for CAMHS and we have met and maintained the national target of ensuring that 90 per cent of children and young people referred are seen within 18 weeks since February 2024.”