Question reference: S4W-30478
- Asked by: Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 8 March 2016
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Current status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 22 March 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has made available to develop high level diagnostic and therapeutic skills in child and adolescent mental health specialists to increase capacity to meet the mental health needs of 0 to 3-year-olds.
Answer
NHS boards are responsible for ensuring they have the correct numbers and skill mix to meet the needs of all children and adolescents.
The Scottish Government has invested £16.3 million over the last six years to increase the number of psychologists working in specialist child and adolescent mental health services, with a further £3.5 million committed in 2015-16.
In addition the First Minister announced a £54.1 million package of support to improve access to mental health services for adults and children on 12 January 2016. This investment includes £24.7 million to improve capacity to see more people more quickly, £4.8 million through Healthcare Improvement Scotland to help redesign local services to be more efficient, effective and sustainable and £24.6 million to improve workforce supply and train existing staff to deliver services for children and young people, as well as psychological therapies for all ages.