THOUSANDS of young people have been left waiting longer than the 18 week target for mental health treatment, it has emerged.
A total of 4,852 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) patients – more than one in five – waited longer than the 18 week target, according to statistics from January 2015 to March 2016.
The target was introduced in December 2014 but earlier this year mental health charity SAMH found just five out of 14 Health Boards achieved it.
The charity is calling for the Scottish Government to commission an independent inquiry into failures and reduce waiting times to 12 weeks or less.
Labour said the government had to offer "more than warm words" on child mental health, and called for better investment services.Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the failure was "scandalous", adding: "This isn’t a minor inconvenience. We know the longer patients wait for treatment the worse their condition can get.
"We cannot turn our face away from these children who are being failed by the system."
In June the Scottish government announced it would launch a consultation with NHS staff on reviewing targets in the health service and has insisted it is committed to improving mental health services for young people.
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