A waiting list for young people to access mental health services has been halved by Manx Care following a £4m investment by the Isle of Man Government.

The number waiting for services currently stands at 599 compared to 1,181 at the end of July 2024. Officials said this reduction demonstrates the impact of targeted funding, although further work is still under way to ensure access to support continues to improve.

The ‘Talk’ service was successfully developed through funding secured in 2024 to help transform the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) over three years. The money was provided in addition to Manx Care’s baseline budget, targeted specifically at responding to the CAMHS waiting list and improving access to support for young people and their families.

Working in conjunction with Isle Listen, the ‘Talk’ service launched in May 2025, offering a timely and responsive service to young people experiencing mental health difficulties and their families. The service is available to those aged up to 18 years and is designed to ensure that support is accessible as early as possible.

It provides access to assessments, advice, information and, where appropriate, talking-based psychological therapies. CAMHS collaborates closely with the ‘Talk’ service to ensure those with complex or high-risk needs receive prompt assessment and treatment from specialists.

While a lot of work takes place in schools, including early intervention and support with self-help, a self-referral process is also available to older children, families and carers via the Talk website, talk.islelisten.im, by calling 679544 or through dedicated walk-in sessions.

Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian MHK said: ‘The work that’s taken place since the additional £4m funding was targeted at reducing the waiting list has succeeded in delivering results for our community. I’d like to thank everyone involved for what’s already been achieved but also for their ongoing efforts to support those in need and enable them to get the right support.’

Teresa Cope, CEO of Manx Care, said: ‘Since work began on the CAMHS waiting list at the end of last year, the waiting list has halved – this is a great indication of the positive work going on in Integrated Mental Health Services. In addition, we’ve seen a really positive reaction to our Mental Health First Contact Practitioner, who has been incredibly well received by GPs. This early intervention approach aims to support patients with emerging mental health difficulties and provide relevant support, advice and interventions to meet their needs. We absolutely want to roll this out across more practices.’

Head of Integrated Mental Health Services Ross Bailey said: ‘The partnership between CAMHS and Isle Listen is working really well to deliver crucial community-based early intervention services. We are pleased to see that our ongoing efforts to support mental health in our community are seeing positive results in terms of a reducing waiting list.’