Barely one in three north-east children with mental health difficulties are seen within the government’s target time.
Shock new figures reveal that almost 40% of youngsters suffering from illnesses such as depression are seen by doctors within 18-weeks in NHS Grampian.
The government research has sparked outrage from local politicians, who have branded the system “shambolic”, while the Scottish Children’s’ Services Coalition said it should act as a “wake-up” call for the government.
Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt said she was not satisfied with targets being missed.
North East MSP Peter Chapman said: “I have said it before, but we cannot afford to let people slip through the net. I have real concerns that people with low-level problems risk being let down and may not get the support they need.”
The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP added: “In NHS Grampian, performance against this target has been falling for almost two years.
“Now just one in three children are seen within the 18-week waiting target and that is despite action plans that were meant to get services there back on track.”
Figures published yesterday show that of the 108 youngsters suffering from mental health difficulties referred to NHS Grampian in September, just 42 were seen within the 18-week target.
A spokesman for the SCSC said the figures should be a “wake-up call” for the SNP, adding: “we need to radically transform mental health services.”
Ms Watt said: “I will not be satisfied until we’re meeting this target on a consistent basis.
“An improvement team is working with boards who are experiencing particular pressures, and others who are performing well to understand what is working and what needs to change.
“There are early signs that this work is bearing fruit but we will continue to work with boards to deliver further improvement.”
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said “challenges” in recruitment had had a “significant impact” on waiting times.
She added: “We continue to target the longest waiting patients based on their clinical need and also prioritise responding to children and young people with urgent requirements as quickly as possible. We have an action plan and robust monitoring process to address our waiting time performance and challenges.”
