Children's mental health waiting times are falling

The Scottish Government has hit its children's mental health waiting times target consistently in 2025 - but more than 100 patients are still waiting after a year, figures show.

- CRAIG PATON, PA SCOTLAND

Progress Renfrewshire South MSP Tom Arthur welcomed the figures

Statistics published yesterday show more than 90 per cent of patients referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were seen within 18 weeks, with 91.5 per cent seen within that time between July and September.

The Scottish Government aims for 90 per cent of referrals to be seen with 18 weeks and the target has been hit for every quarter since October-to-December last year, but yearlong waits have increased in the past year.

According to the most recent figures, 3.2 per cent of patients were waiting more than 53 weeks - around 128 of the total of 4,006 patients - down from 3.3 percent the previous quarter but up from 2.7 per cent in the same quarter last year.