Scotland needs world class mental health services as psychological therapies target missed again

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today said Scotland desperately needs world class mental health services after new figures showed 4,385 children and young people and 23,746 adults waiting for treatment.

The Public Health Scotland data also shows:

• 4,385 children and young people and 23,746 adults were waiting for treatment at the quarter ending June 2025;.
• Just 78.3% of adults were seen within 18 weeks of referral to psychological therapies, far below the target of 90%.
• 272 children and young people and 2,612 adults waiting more than a year to start treatment.
• Only 67.8% of referrals in the quarter ending June 2025 were accepted.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

“Almost 30,000 children, young people and adults are waiting for mental health care. Yet for many it will be an entire year before they start treatment.

"They are being let down and left languishing on waiting lists.

“Scotland deserves better than this. It deserves world class mental health services.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are the party of mental health. We would fund more mental health support in schools, get more professionals close to where you live, and ramp up the training of new staff and mental health first aiders."