Scottish Conserative health spokesman Miles Briggs MSP has welcomed the news that NHS Lothian are investing £3million into the recruitment of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services staff.
Latest ISD figures have shown that 1 in 4 young people, under the age of 18, are having to wait longer than a year for mental health support in NHS Lothian.
For the latest month figures are available, 54 young people had to wait over a year to be seen, 24.6% of the 220 young people seen that month.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “I am pleased that NHS Lothian is investing £3 million into the recruitment of desperately needed CAMHS staff in Lothian.
“Mental health waiting times for young people in NHS Lothian have got extremely long with a quarter of patients now waiting over a year to be seen.
“Waiting times have been getting significantly worse over the last year for CAMHS services in Lothian and this investment in more staff should have been made before now.
“NHS Lothian must recruit more children and adolescent mental health professionals as soon as possible so that young people in Lothian can get the support they need.”