Waiting time performance for children’s mental health services in Scotland has seen a further improvement, while remaining below the target levels.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting times showed 83.8% of patients were seen within 18 weeks of referral.
This is an increase from 75.6% for the previous quarter and from the 70.4% in the same quarter from the previous year.
The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS.
Ministers said the latest data showed the highest performance in eight years.
The latest data from Public Health Scotland (PHS) shows 4,531 children and young people started CAMHS treatment during the period.
This was down by 19.7% from the same period in 2022.
Half of all those starting treatment did so within six weeks of referral, an improvement from the previous quarter.
Separate statistics on waiting times for psychological therapies were also released by PHS.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, 80.6% of people of all ages started their treatment within 18 weeks of referral.
The Government standard is for 90% of of people to start their treatment within this time frame.
Some 18,457 people of all ages started psychological therapies treatment in the quarter ending December 2023.
Mental wellbeing minister Maree Todd said: “The latest figures show that we continue to see significant and sustained progress on CAMHS waiting times – the national performance against the target is the fourth highest since records began, and the highest achieved since quarter ending March 2016.
“The overall CAMHS waiting list decreased by 2,089 in the last year, and the number of children waiting over 18 weeks decreased by 1,270 over the same period.
“One in two children and young people referred to CAMHS now start treatment within 6 weeks, which is a decrease from 10 weeks in the previous quarter.
“This has been made possible by the hard work of the CAMHS workforce, which has more than doubled, and is at a record high, since 2007.
“This has been supported by our record high investments in CAMHS, including through the mental health outcomes framework, which has delivered £55.5 million additional funding over and above core NHS Board allocations in 2023-24.”
She added: “Despite these positive figures, we are not complacent. We remain committed to supporting all boards to meet the standard that 90% of patients start treatment within 18 weeks of referral.
“It is vital that all children and young people receive the right support, at the right time.”
Dr Jane Morris, chairwoman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, said: “While it is welcome news that waiting times have improved, ministers cannot assume the job is now done.
“Working on the front line we see a postcode lottery of specialist mental health services across the country, but our vulnerable children and young people deserve so much better than this.
“Serious mental illness is not an easy thing – it needs to be properly managed and appropriately resourced.”
She said funding had gone down in real terms, adding: “For the sake of all our young people, we’re asking for the £30 million cut from the Scottish Budget to be restored immediately.
“We’d also urge the new health minister to ensure 10% of the total NHS spend goes towards mental health and 1% for CAMHS.”