4,710 children on mental health waiting lists in West Herts

4,710 children on mental health waiting lists in Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group as Lib Dems pledge a mental health professional in every school

• Liberal Democrats call for a mental health professional in every primary and secondary school

• Harpenden & Berkhamsted‘s Liberal Democrats slam the Conservative government for abandoning local parents and children

• 4,710 children and young people in Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group - which covers the geographical areas of Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers and Watford - are on mental health waiting lists with an average wait time of 144 days

4,710 children and young people in Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group are on mental health waiting lists with average waits of 144 days, House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

To help tackle the crisis in children’s mental health and reduce waiting lists, the Liberal Democrats have announced that their manifesto will include a commitment to a mental health professional in every primary and secondary school. The policy would be funded through a trebling of the Digital Services Tax, which would raise an extra £1.5 billion a year. 

This landmark policy announcement by the Lib Dems would help cut mental health waiting lists and give children the support they need to flourish and reach their full potential. 

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Harpenden & Berkhamsted, Victoria Collins said:

“Children and parents in our community are being left in limbo, forced to suffer shockingly long waits for vital mental health treatment. This Conservative government  has brought the NHS to its knees and children and parents have been left abandoned.

“By putting a mental health professional in every primary and secondary school, funded by a tax on the social media giants, we can finally begin to cut waiting lists for our community and give children the best opportunity to succeed with their education.

“This appalling Conservative government has failed people in Harpenden, Berkhamsted, Tring and the surrounding villages for too long. They are out of touch, out of ideas and deserve to be kicked out of office.”