NHS Highland shows improving picture on mental health support
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The latest figures show an improving picture for Highland patients in need of mental health support.
As of December last year a total of 1591 people in the Highland area were waiting to access psychological treatment services.
Of those,1153 had been waiting more than 18 weeks, representing 72.5 per cent of the total.
A total of 755 of those patients had been waiting for more than a year for access to therapy.
The national target for patients to start therapy based treatment within 18 weeks of referral is 90 per cent.
For the period between July and September last year the percentage of Highland patients being seen within the 18-week target time stood at 88.7 per cent.
That compared with 85.2 per cent in Ayrshire and Arran; 77.2 per cent in Fife; 72.6 per cent in Grampian; 85.9 per cent in Tayside and 72.6 per cent in Dumfries and Galloway.
Despite missing the national target the December figures are part of a gradual decline in the number of patients in Highland waiting longer than the prescribed time to begin treatment.
Though critics will rightly argue that behind every statistic lies an individual being denied quickly enough the support that they need, from a high of 1525 waiting beyond the target time in April last year that figure has declined almost every month.
Nevertheless Pam Cremin, NHS Highland's interim chief officer for the North Highland Health and Social Care Partnership, admitted more needed to be done.
"This is in line with the work set out in the comprehensive psychological therapies improvement plan," she said of the latest data.
"Whilst we are moving in the right direction there is still a significant amount of work to do.
"The team have dedicated triaging both the general adult and the neuropsycholgical waiting lists and developing much clearer pathways for referrals for the future.
"Recruitment remains the main challenge with lower levels of psychology staff in post than other boards.
"The director of psychology is actively leading on improving this position."
The figures are due to be discussed at the next meeting of the NHS Highland board, on Tuesday.
