Fears mental health crisis is on the way

A “PERFECT storm” of a mental health crisis could hit Tayside following the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC).

Public Health Scotland statistics show that before lockdown, 35% of Tayside children and young people had not started treatment at specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) within the Scottish Government’s 18-week target.

A spokesman for SCSC, an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, said: “While referrals have dropped during lockdown and children are not accessing support, we are storing up immense problems for the future as these same under-pressure services face being overwhelmed due to a greatly increased demand.

“It is important to stress these services are still available and the Scottish Government must look to support these young people as we come out of lockdown by investing significantly in services.”

NHS Tayside said it recognised waiting times were longer than it would want but said a robust plan was in place to improve this.

Additional nursing staff had also been recruited to provide more support to children and young people over the coming months.

Staff had continued to provide outpatient appointments for new assessments, ongoing treatment and continuous review during lockdown.

A spokesman added: “A test of change with GPs in Dundee whereby experienced CAMHS nurses assess children and young people within the practice has been established, so that at the first point of contact they receive the most appropriate service or intervention, such as community-based support for mild anxiety, distress, bullying or domestic issues.”