NHS Tayside is failing to meet Scottish Government waiting time targets for children with mental health issues in more than half of all cases, according to an NHS performance review.
The Scottish Government insists that 90% of young people suffering from mental illness should be seen within 18 weeks of being referred to the health board for treatment.
The revelation comes just days after the Earl and Countess of Strathearn promoted mental health issues during a visit to Dundee.
However, data published by Audit Scotland shows that just 35.9% of children referred to NHS Tayside were given help within 18 weeks.
Shockingly, the percentage of young people with mental illness seen by specialists within the national time frame plummeted from 79.7% to 35.9% between March 2014 and March 2015.
According to Audit Scotland: “All territorial boards had difficulties in meeting their key performance targets and standards.
“Performance varied across Scotland with no boards consistently above or below all of the main targets.
“NHS Highland and NHS Tayside were among the lowest performing boards against the outpatient standard and CAMHS target respectively.
“In March 2015, NHS Forth Valley and NHS Tayside met the target in fewer than half of their cases, 49% and 36% respectively.
“Failure to meet certain targets and standards can increase the pressure in other parts of the service.”
The shocking figures were slammed by Dundee City Council Labour Group leader Kevin Keenan.
Mr Keenan insisted that NHS Tayside had to do more to protect Tayside’s children.
He said: “I spoke with someone recently who retired from the health service not long ago and she felt passionately that we are not doing enough to help our children and this is just another example of that.
“The NHS isn’t doing enough to protect children in Tayside and we have a health service in crisis.
“The figures suggest that there are staff shortages within the health board, so NHS Tayside must ensure that they have the correct people in place to help the children of Tayside.”
Despite the criticism, Dawn Sturrock, clinical services manager for women and child health, said: “Over the last eight months, NHS Tayside has been undertaking a detailed improvement programme for CAMHS designed to reduce outpatient waiting times.
“Additional nursing and medical staff have been appointed and the CAMHS team is now making a significant impact and reducing waiting times.
“Whilst a small number of children and young people who now have appointments in October and November have waited longer than 18 weeks to get these appointments, it is expected that all new referrals for children and young people will be seen within 18 weeks by the end of the year.”
The Audit Scotland publication shows that NHS Tayside was given a £100.3 million Scottish Government grant to develop mental health services in the area.
Part of the cash injection was used in 2013 to build Perth’s new Murray Royal Hospital.
The development was among three of the Government’s largest capital investments linked to achieving their 2020 project, which aims to localise healthcare.
Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn, said: “Waiting times for mental health treatments have come down significantly in recent years, despite a large increase in demand.
“However, having become the first country in the UK to set waiting times targets in this area, we are absolutely determined to maintain that improvement and reach the targets we have set.
“We have already invested a significant amount in mental health services, leading to record levels of specialists.In the last six years, Scotland’s CAMHS workforce has increased by more than a quarter.”