584 children and adolescents in Wales are waiting for mental health treatment, and the AM for Aberconwy and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government Janet Finch-Saunders, has called on the Welsh Government to take urgent action.

At present, 80 children are waiting within BCUHB for such treatment, whilst across Wales 73 have been forced to wait between 4 – 26 weeks.

Janet said:

“Sadly mental health is a serious issue amongst the youngest in our society with 5,400 children and young people in Wales being referred for assessment annually.

“This is an issue we should be tackling head-on with intervention as early as possible, yet the Welsh Labour Government spends less than 1% of the Welsh NHS budget on child and adolescent mental health services.

“It is shocking that around 50% of those referred have had to wait several months for their first out-patient appointment, and that the wait for treatment can be longer than half a year.

“I have now called on the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children to commit to working to reduce these unacceptable waiting times.”

ENDS

Notes:

• Between August 2015 and September 2016 there were 2,355 children waiting for their first outpatient appointment with CAMHS. A further 5,400 children and young people were referred for assessment in the same time period, to Local Primary Mental Health Support Services
• 1 in 4 people have a mental health problem

Attached document:

• Janet’s question to Carl Sargeant AM, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children 24/05/17.