Central Scotland and Lothians Labour MSP Jenny Young has questioned the First Minister about support for families waiting on CAMHS and Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Service (PNDS) waiting lists.
Backbench FMQs question
On Tuesday, June 9, during Backbench FMQs, Ms Young asked John Swinney to look into the case of a constituent whose son is stuck on a waiting list for the NHS Forth Valley PNDS.
The boy initially had a referral from his GP rejected by CAMHS. His parents have now been forced to pay privately for an ADHD diagnosis and medication, and told Jenny they are struggling to deal with his increasingly dysregulated behaviour.
Overwhelming response
Since sharing a clip of her question to the First Minister online, Jenny has been inundated with comments from other constituents about their struggles with CAMHS and the PNDS.
She has now co-signed a letter with MP for Bathgate and Linlithgow Kirsteen Sullivan to Health Secretary Angela Constance, sharing the stories of other constituents who have faced similarly long waits for CAMHS support.
Commenting, Jenny said: “The First Minister’s response to my question was disappointing. He completely failed to address the specific case I had raised, and gave no assurances to people in Central Scotland and West Lothian who are stuck in a similar situation.
“The response from constituents online has been overwhelming – so many families shared heartbreaking stories about their struggle to access any support for their kids.
“Families are in crisis, and children with complex needs who are stuck on waiting lists for CAMHS and the PNDS need support.
“I will keep fighting for improvements to these services – to improve the lives of children and families across our area.”
