Manx Care says a £4 million investment into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services has delivered major improvements.
Waiting lists have been significantly reduced and a new island‑wide access pathway is now firmly in place.
The two‑year transformation programme, announced in 2024, was designed to cut long delays for assessment and treatment, strengthen early intervention, and widen access to psychological support for children and young people.
Ross Bailey, General Manager for Integrated Mental Health Services, said the investment had “transformed how children and young people access mental health support”.
He added that closer partnership working, including with Isle Listen’s new Talk service, was already making “real and lasting improvements” for families.
Waiting List Backlog Cleared
At the start of the project, 819 young people were on the CAMHS waiting list, with some facing delays of up to 2.5 years for neurodiversity assessments.
All 819 were contacted, with 616 receiving assessments and a further 213 redirected to more appropriate services such as Talk.
Manx Care says 86% of those originally waiting have now either been discharged or are receiving treatment.
Waiting times for neurodiverse assessments have fallen from 2.5 years to around one year.
While still not meeting demand, the improvement contrasts with parts of the UK where waits for ADHD assessments can reach four years and autism assessments two and a half years.
‘Talk’ Service Streamlines Access
A major element of the programme has been the launch of Talk, a single point of access operated by Isle Listen for young people with mild to moderate mental health needs.
Since going live in June 2025, Talk has received 906 referrals, accepting 403 and signposting others to CAMHS or alternative services.
The service has achieved an average six‑day wait from referral to assessment, and nine days from assessment to treatment, a pace Manx Care says sets a new benchmark for timely support.
Andrea Chambers, CEO of Isle Listen, said the partnership had shown “the real impact of early intervention and joined‑up working”, ensuring young people could access help “quickly and without unnecessary barriers”.
Lasting Changes
Manx Care says the combined impact of the waiting list initiative and the Talk service has created clearer pathways, faster access to treatment, and a notable reduction in the number of young people waiting for help.
The waiting list project formally concluded in January 2026, but Talk will continue as a core part of the island’s mental health support system.
