Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron has said that resourcing mental health treatment for young people has never been more important, after new statistics from Public Health Scotland indicated that 161 young people in the NHS Highland area sought treatment between January and March 2021.

The Scottish Conservative MSP said: “Sadly, the pandemic and lockdown restrictions have taken a toll on the mental wellbeing of many young people across the country including here in the Highlands and Islands.

“We should remember that the consequences of this can be long-lasting. As the report notes, the majority of adult mental health problems begin in childhood with 50% of mental health problems established by age 14.

“This is a reason why my party will continue to push for 10 per cent of the health budget in Scotland to be spent directly on tackling mental health issues.

“Although NHS Highland’s waiting time track record is better than the Scottish average, with 75.2% people seen within 18 weeks, that is still well below the Scottish Government’s own target of at least 90% of patients being seen within that timeframe.

“It has never been more important to ensure that young people receive the help they need, when they need it.”