Children and young people failing to get mental health help
National mental health charity Change Mental Health has unveiled stark inequalities for children and young people in the region accessing mental healthcare services.
In NHS Dumfries & Galloway, 44 per cent of children and young people were not seen within 18 weeks of referral to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) – compared to only 16.8 per cent nationally.
The service was seeing 94 per cent of patients within 18 weeks in June 2023, but now only sees 56 per cent of patients within that standard period.
Dumfries and Galloway is one of three rural NHS health boards in Scotland which the charity said is going to stop the Scottish Government from meeting its target of 90 per cent of children and young people starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS, unless it takes quick action to address the inequalities.
The other two are NHS Highland and NHS Borders, with Change Mental Health analysing Public Health Scotland data for the wait distribution of patients who started CAMHS treatment from the recent quarter ending December 2023.
Nick Ward, CEO at Change Mental Health, said:“This report shows us that once again children and young people in some of our most rural areas aren’t getting the support they need, when they need it. There must be
targeted action from the Scottish Government in tackling these significant rural inequalities.
“We want a future where children and
young people aren’t put on waiting lists for support but instead get the early intervention, community-based support we know stops poor mental health escalating to a point where it requires medical intervention.”
The report states that Dumfries and Galloway has previously shown that it is possible to eliminate long waits for mental health treatment in large rural areas.
Recommendations in the report include investing in early intervention to build mental resilience in children and young people while tackling Scotland’s current mental health crisis – including Change Mental Health’s young people’s programme, Bloom, which is delivered in schools and colleges, trains teachers and equips young people with the tools and knowledge to maintain their mental health.
Ciara Mallon, engagement officer at Change Mental Health, said:“There is a growing need for preventative mental health support for young people, with 75 per cent of mental illnesses starting before a young person’s 18th birthday. It is essential that services are accessible to all young people in Scotland.”
Other recommendations include closer shared learning and best practice from other NHS health boards and Scottish Government’s Rural Delivery Plan considering a commitment to levelling up healthcare in rural regions.
Change Mental Health’s National Rural Mental Health Forum will now be focusing upcoming sessions over this pressing issue and looking at best practice.