Mental health waiting times slammed

South Scotland Conservative List MSP Sharon Dowey has hit out at long waiting times for psychological therapy patients in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

A recent report has shown that at the end of 2021, 61.2 per cent of people were seen within 18 weeks for psychological therapy treatment.

But that figures falls short of the Scottish Government’s own standard, stating that 90 per cent of people should start their treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

Ms Dowey said: “The reality is that over one third of people suffering from mental health issues aren’t receiving the support they need.

“Psychological therapy is used to get problems off people’s chests, but how can they do this if they’ve got to wait over four months to receive treatment?”