Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Graham Simpson for Central Scotland has slammed the SNP Government for failing to address ever increasing mental health waiting times for children and young people.
Mr. Simpson has highlighted shocking new figures that 137 young people have been waiting over a year for vital mental health treatment as of December 2020 in NHS Lanarkshire.
Across Scotland, a total of 1,560 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment.
Mr. Simpson says that lockdown restrictions over the last year have increased the mental health pressures on vulnerable young people and that the SNP need to address the rising waiting times urgently.
Mr. Simpson says that even prior to the pandemic, the SNP were failing to hit mental health waiting time targets and they have had years to address the chronic lack of underfunding for mental health services in NHS Lanarkshire.
They are calling for the SNP to use these figures as a wake-up call to deliver the funding required to ensure those who need mental health support get it as quickly as possible.
Commenting, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Mr. Simpson said: “It is incredibly alarming to see the vast number of young people who have been waiting over a year for vital mental health treatment in NHS Lanarkshire.
“The lockdown restrictions over the last year have only increased mental health pressures on our young people in particular. The SNP must address these appalling figures as a matter of urgency.
“Even prior to the pandemic, the SNP were routinely failing to hit mental health waiting time targets. Enough is enough. They need to use these figures as a wake-up call once and for all in order to get our young people treatment as quickly as possible.
“Too many of them are falling through the cracks as a result of the SNP’s failures to properly fund mental health services. The time for warm words is long gone.
“SNP Ministers must outline how they will support health boards, charities and support organisations in tacking mental health waiting times and drive down these shocking figures.”
