Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the average waiting time for children and adolescent mental health services in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting lists for those services in those areas.

No such estimates have been made as a national access and waiting times standard for children and young people’s mental health services in England has not yet been defined or set. However, we are aware that the rise in demand for children and young people’s mental health services has meant an increase in waiting times for some people.

The NHS Long Term Plan commits to increasing investment into mental health services by at least an additional £2.3 billion a year by March 2024. This will allow 345,000 more children and young people, including children and young people to access National Health Service-funded mental health support and improve waiting times.

NHS England has also consulted on the potential to introduce a waiting time standard for children, young people and their families/carers presenting to community-based mental health services, to start to receive care within four weeks from referral. We are now working with NHS England on the next steps.