Publication of CAMHS Waiting Time Statistics for Northern Ireland (March 2024)

Date published: 23 May 2024

This publication presents quarter end figures regionally and by Health and Social Care Trust in respect of total numbers waiting, and those waiting over 9 weeks, for a CAMHS assessment.

Key Facts and Figures:

• At 31 March 2024, there were 1,990 total waits for a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) assessment in Northern Ireland, of which 1,026 were waiting for more than nine weeks (52%).
• Since a low of 1,107 total waits for a CAMHS assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020), the number of children and young people waiting for an assessment of CAMHS in Northern Ireland has been increasing, with a peak of 2,388 total waits at 31 March 2023.
• The Northern HSC Trust had the highest numbers waiting for a CAMHS assessment at 31 March 2024 (611) whilst the Southern and Western HSC Trusts had the least numbers waiting (434).
• The statistics presented derive from returns completed by each HSC Trust in Northern Ireland in relation to Mental Health Outpatients Waiting Times.
• This quarterly summary report is created by Information Analysis Directorate in Department of Health, and was published for the first time on 14 June 2023.
• The quarterly figures will, until further notice, be deemed as Experimental Statistics and subject to change, which is common for new published statistics.