In the Guardian today, we hear of ‘an inquiry into England’s ever-extending waiting lists for the diagnosis of mental illness and neurodevelopmental conditions, and the dire lack of support for people who experience one or both of them.’
BBC Scotland relies on another RCEM Scotland claim that A&E doctors are ‘completely terrified‘ in Scotland yet not so in England where the more than 12 hour waits strongly associated with excess death are twice as comon.
This is, of course, is fully swept under the Editor’s carpet:
From Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting times Quarter ending June 2026 Published01 September 2026 (Latest release), the above and:
90.9% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is a decrease from 91.2% for the previous quarter and a decrease from 91.8% for the same quarter ending June 2025. The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS. The chart below shows performance in relation to this target over the past 4 years, illustrating the target was first achieved in quarter ending December 2024.
4,006 people were recorded as having started treatment in CAMHS. This is an increase of 3.8% (148) from the 3,858 people reported as starting treatment in the previous quarter and an increase of 1.3% (53) from the 3,953 patients who were reported as having started treatment in the quarter ending June 2025. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times-quarter-ending-june-2026/
How does this compare with England?
England does not apply the same 18-week “start of treatment” target to community CAMHS. A proposed 4-week standard exists but remains experimental and is not formally in force.
Children’s Commissioner analysis of 2024–25 data: more than 1 million children had an active referral during the year; 35% were still waiting at year-end; more than 60,000 had waited over two years; median wait for those who received treatment was 35 days, but overall median (including those still waiting) was 128 days. * https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blogs/press-notice-over-a-million-children-referred-to-mental-health-services-with-highest-annual-referrals-as-demand-rises-faster-than-systems-can-respond/
Bearing in mind the limits NHS England seems to be hitting only 65% with 35% still waiting at year-end.
In short, Scotland is currently delivering most CAMHS treatment starts within its 18-week standard and has a comparatively small waiting list. England shows higher absolute demand, a much larger open-referral caseload, and a substantial proportion of children facing waits measured in many months or years. Direct like-for-like percentages are limited by the different metrics, but the Scottish data indicate more consistent delivery against a defined treatment-start target. https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blogs/press-notice-over-a-million-children-referred-to-mental-health-services-with-highest-annual-referrals-as-demand-rises-faster-than-systems-can-respond/
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“BBC Scotland relies on another RCEM Scotland claim that A&E doctors are ‘completely terrified‘ in Scotland yet not so in England where the more than 12 hour waits strongly associated with excess death are twice as comon”
Well , for the Scottish NHS, this is the kind of ammunition (which they think is political dynamite) , so then they regularly , as a UK media, dish it out , all in order to try to enable – to help equip – to empower – all of those political opponents of the SNP party to then also attack the SNP as the Scottish government.
Then subsequently , the SNP’s political opponents , all (wrongly) assume that they are completely justified and so then entitled to also attack the SNP in them all declaring different versions of #SNPBAD.
A rinse and repeat exercise in Scottish politics , mostly orchestrated by media like the BBC.
Meanwhile in England and it’s NHS backlogs etc , well somehow that is to be seen as being different apparently .
As in England’s NHS it is to be assumed that all of their real problems in their NHS are mostly caused by Doctors strikes and other NHS industrial action, Covid consequences , high patient demand , workforce shortages, aging population and other reasons that apparently do not similarly impact Scotland’s NHS ????
Who knew and also who cares ?
Well certainly not the media nor the political and individual opponents of the SNP, as some of these same above reasons also negatively impact our NHS (including Brexit consequences on our NHS) but they are seemingly not worth highlighting by those whose main motivation for all of their #SNPBAD news (that includes news on our NHS) is just to try to bring down the SNP in Scotland. Simples.
Liz S
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The Tories are promising to dismantle Holyrood. The BBC and MSM are doing their best to provide proof that Devolution is a failed experiment. The SNHS, Police, Courts, Education, Transport, Ferries, and Planning are all destined for the dustbin.
Or, we can become independent.
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“The SNHS, Police, Courts, Education, Transport, Ferries, and Planning are all destined for the dustbin”.
Some within Scotland are apparently waiting for a miracle to happen, in their believing that yet another Labour HQ leader is the (latest) man to sort it all out for Scotland.
Others apparently seem to agree with the Tories and Reform UK , as they as voters within Scotland want Scotland to be once again totally under the control of WM only.
That then will ensure that Scotland will still be ignored, still under funded, still neglected, still disrespected , still failed by them, still suppressed, still abused and pretty much them , as UK governments, still attempting to further decimate that which was previously destroyed within Scotland by various other UK governments.
Liz S
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