SIGNIFICANT improvements in the delivery of child mental health support have been made at NHS Forth Valley.

This has been made possible due to the changes in the way local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are designed and delivered across the health board.

NHS Forth Valley have implemented a new choice and partnership approach (CAPA) which helps to increase the range of treatment options available, maximise capacity and improve management and monitoring of demand.

This approach has improved Forth Valley CAMHS, with the health board now exceeding the national waiting times target of ensuring 90 per cent of children and young people are seen within 18 weeks of being referred.

NHS Forth Valley currently is sitting at 95.6 per cent, above the national average of 83.8 per cent, with the health board confident this will be maintained.

Lesley Dunabie, department manager/head of nursing for CAMHS services at NHS Forth Valley, hailed the progress so far and urged it to continue.

She said: “While we are delighted at the positive impact of the changes we have made, we now need to maintain and build on this work by continuing to develop and improve local services for children and young people with very severe, complex and persistent symptoms of serious mental health illness.”

The health board further reported that there are currently no children or young people waiting more than 18 weeks for an initial assessment.

The service is also working alongside partners in local councils to help increase access to a range of community-based services.

These services will make it quicker and easier for children and young people to access support from an early age.

Primary care mental health workers are also now working in local GP practices across Clackmannanshire and the wider Forth Valley areas, which will help provide support for issues such as anxiety, depression and sleep problems.