Figures revealed by North East Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles show that the 18-week waiting time target was breached by 168,210 days by health boards in Tayside and Grampian, in 2017/18.

The total delay for treatment in NHS Tayside was 116,619 days while NHS Grampian reached 51,591 days. The two figures represent the second and third worst accumulation of waiting times of any NHS board in Scotland.

Mr Rumbles said: “These figures are disgraceful. We are all too familiar with bad news about our health services in the North East but this is something else.  

“Children are only young once and the Scottish Government is depriving many youngsters from getting the treatment they need to have a healthy childhood. The health minister should hang her head in shame.

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats have been calling for real action on this issue for over two years and, rather than improving the situation, this incompetent SNP government is only making matters worse.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

• Under freedom of information, the Scottish Liberal Democrats asked all the regional health boards:

Among all the children and young people from your health board area who waited in

excess of the 18-week CAMHS standard and started their treatment in (a) 2015-16,

(b) 2016-17 (c) 2017-18 and (d) 2018-19 to date (including those still waiting), what

was the total number of days over the 18-week standard that they collectively

waited.

Please break down the figures for each year specified. For example, if a child began

their treatment after 30 weeks, then that child would contribute 84 days towards the

total for the year in which they started their treatment (12 weeks x 7 days).

• A spreadsheet containing the figures is also attached.