Child and Adolescent Mental Health Waiting Times

The main function of CAMHS is to develop and deliver services for those children and young people (and their parents/carers) who are experiencing the most serious mental health problems. They also have an important role in supporting the mental health capability of the wider network of children's services. CAMHS are usually delivered by multidisciplinary teams including nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and others.

Delivery of good quality CAMHS depends on adequate numbers of well trained staff being recruited and retained across NHSScotland. Practitioners who contribute to CAMHS include: psychiatric nurses, child and adolescent psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, psychotherapists (including child/analytical, systemic/family, cognitive behavioural), creative therapists (including art, music and drama), play therapists, liaison teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and dieticians.

Timely access to healthcare is a key measure of quality and that applies equally in respect of access to mental health services. Early action is more likely to result in full recovery and, in the case of children and young people, will also minimise the impact on other aspects of their development such as their education, so improving their wider social development outcomes.

CAMHS are subject to deliver an 18 week wait from referral to treatment for specialist services this has been the standard since December 2014. This supersedes the previous target of 26 weeks. The data shows the performances of the board in relation to this standard.