CHILDREN FACE DELAY PAIN

The Worcestershire Community and Mental Health NHS Trust revealed hundreds of children were caught up in waiting lists for mental health treatment, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.

Shock figures show 236 children have been waiting for mental health appointments for more than six months, and 337 for more than three.

Another 280 youngsters have been waiting to see an occupational therapist for more than six months, and 354 for more than three. Figures are not available for the number waiting more than six months for speech and language therapy, but 108 have been waiting for more than three months.

Staff at a mental health charity said young lives were being put at risk by the "national problem" of long waiting times.

"There are still a lot of children who are talking about suicide or are self-harming who do wait a long time for appointments," said Dinah Morley, deputy director of the children's mental health charity YoungMinds.

"You would never accept it for cancer or heart problems, but because it's mental health, people tend not to be too bothered about it.

"There's a huge shortage of staff nationally and the Department of Health is trying to get more people in."

Finbarr Costigan, service director for the Trust's specialist services directorate, said cash had been already spent to cut waiting times.

"But it's proving as thorny as it has in the past," he admitted.

"We're concerned with the increasing number of children and young people waiting for an initial appointment.

"A substantial and creative amount of work has been undertaken by all three services to reduce the numbers, but the need for their expertise continues to increase."

Many of the problems were being caused by staff recruitment difficulties, said Trust board members.

Interviews had been held for two new consultant child psychologists, and two doctors had accepted the posts, but would not be starting work until next spring, they said.