Lambeth Child Mental Health Wait Times: Three Months To See NHS Specialist
Children in Lambeth waited roughly over twelve weeks to see a mental health specialist through the NHS last year, down from nearly six months in 2018.
Children struggling with their mental health were waiting on average three months for an appointment with a specialist in 2019.
The average waiting time for an appointment with the children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) has reduced from an average of 25.54 weeks in 2018 to an average waiting time of 12.15 weeks in 2019.
The waiting period between seeing a GP and seeing a specialist was around 13 weeks in 2015, before steadily rising to 17 in 2017. It then shot up to 26 weeks in 2018.
Lambeth Council spends £648,000 per year on the CAMHS contract with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
David Bradley, Chief Executive at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We are working hard with our colleagues across the mental health sector to ensure our patients and service users, both inpatients and those receiving treatment in the community, continue to receive the care and support they need at this very challenging time.”