Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has any plans to introduce a waiting list target for CAMHS referral and assessment.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have consulted on the potential to introduce five new waiting time standards, which includes children, young people and their families/carers presenting to community-based mental health services receive care within four weeks from referral. This consultation closed on 1 September 2021 and NHS England and NHS Improvement are analysing the responses to inform a recommendation to the Government.

The National Health Service is also piloting the four week waiting time for access to specialist mental health treatment for children and young people. The pilots in 12 areas of England inform a recommendation on the potential development of access and waiting-time standards for all children and young people who need specialist mental health services.