70% of children waiting for mental health assessment waited over nine weeks

New figures obtained by SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan show of 389 waits for appointments with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in the Western Trust at January 31, 271 (70 per cent) were for in excess of nine weeks.

In the adult mental health service, coincidentally, there were also 271 waits longer than nine weeks at January 31, the Department of Health statistics show.

This equated to 41 per cent of 656 waits in total in the local health authority area.

The details were released by Health Minister Robin Swann who provided information on the number of patients awaiting access to mental health services in response to a Written Assembly Question that was tabled by Mr. Durkan at Stormont.