To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on defining a national access and waiting times standard for child and adolescent mental health services.
Answered on
28 September 2021
The National Health Service is piloting a four-week waiting time standard for access to specialist mental health treatment for children and young people in twelve areas of England. Based on these pilots, NHS England and NHS Improvement have consulted on a new waiting time standard for children and young people presenting to community-based mental health services, to receive care within four weeks from referral. This consultation closed on 1 September 2021 and the outcomes will inform a recommendation on implementation to Government in due course.