Mental health wait targets missed for more than a quarter of children and young people

Responding to new Public Health Scotland statistics showing the 18-week mental health treatment target guarantee is being missed for more than a quarter of children and more than 1 in 5 adults, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:  

“Humza Yousaf’s personal promise to clear mental health waits has been irrevocably broken.  

“The long shadow of lockdown, the pressures of the cost of living and the SNP’s reckless decision to cut £50m from the mental health budget have brought the system to its knees.  

“To repair the crisis, Scottish Liberal Democrats would install more counsellors in schools, ramp up training to offer every workplace the benefit of a mental health first aider and rollout more mental health professionals near to you in GP surgeries and A&E departments.”