MP Calum Miller calls on the Prime Minister to address long NHS wait times affecting children needing mental health support.
Miller said the delays hurt kids, preventing them from getting needed help. He told Keir Starmer about a local case involving Agnes, who is from Miller’s district.
Agnes was nine in 2019 when her doctor referred her to mental health services. She’s waited over five years for assessment and may have a neurodiversity condition causing her mental health issues.
Agnes’s dad, Jim, tried to expedite her appointment last year, but was told they wouldn’t prioritize her visit, stating they’d only see her if she was suicidal.
Miller asked Starmer to meet them and hear Agnes and Jim’s story, as Jim wants no other child to face this situation. He asked Miller to share their experience publicly.
Starmer thanked Miller for speaking up, hoping Agnes and Jim know their story matters. Starmer urged Miller to continue bringing it up, acknowledging that many kids wait too long for mental health care and need better access soon.
NHS faces funding and staffing issues, creating appointment backlogs in Oxfordshire. Autism assessments take a lot of time; Oxford Health NHS Trust reported the average wait is about three and a half years.
A children’s commissioner found data in 2022-2023 indicating around one million kids in England need mental health services. Almost a third still waited for any help, while nearly 40% had cases closed too early, never receiving the support they needed.