Manx Care is marking a major milestone in improving mental health support for children and young people, as the CAMHS Transformation Project reaches its final stage following a significant investment of just over £4 million. This investment has tackled waiting lists and transformed services, including partnering with Isle Listen to deliver the new Single Point of Access service called Talk.
Ross Bailey, General Manager for Integrated Mental Health Services, said:
'This £4m investment has been fundamental in allowing us to transform how children and young people access mental health support. By reducing waiting times, strengthening early intervention and working closely with partners such as Isle Listen’s Talk Service, we are seeing real and lasting improvements for families across the Island.
Ensuring children and young people receive the right support at the right time has been central to this programme, and these results show the impact that targeted investment and partnership working can achieve.'
Announced in June 2024, the funding was secured to reduce long waits for assessment and treatment, strengthen early intervention, and improve access to psychological support for children and young people across the Island. Over the past two years, this investment has enabled meaningful and measurable improvements that are already delivering real benefits for families.
A successful waiting list initiative
At the start of the project, 819 young people were identified on the CAMHS waiting list, with many facing delays of up to 2.5 years for neurodiverse assessments. Thanks to the intensive transformation work:
- 100% (819) of those on the list were contacted
- 616 young people (64%) received assessments
- 213 (26%) were either referred to alternative services, such as the new Talk pathway
- Impressively, 703 young people (86%) have now been either discharged or are actively receiving treatment
This work has contributed to a significant reduction in waiting times, with neurodiverse assessments dropping from 2.5 years to around 1 year, which is a meaningful improvement for families seeking timely support.
When viewed alongside the wider UK landscape, the scale of local progress is particularly significant. NHS reporting indicates that, in several parts of the UK, average waiting times for ADHD assessments extend to approximately four years, and autism assessments to around two and a half years. In some areas, services have reached capacity to the extent that new referrals are no longer being accepted.
In contrast, routine neurodiversity assessments on the Isle of Man are now typically completed within one year. This reflects a significant improvement in accessibility and demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing service development. Work is continuing to further refine pathways and reduce waiting times still further.
Introducing talk: a single point of access for mental health support
A major achievement of the project is the Island-wide launch of Talk, operated by Isle Listen, providing psychological support for young people with mild to moderate mental health needs.
Since its launch in June 2025, Talk has quickly become a vital part of the support system. Between June 2025 and December 2025:
- 906 referrals received
- 403 accepted by Talk
- 296 referred to CAMHS
- 63 signposted to other appropriate services
- 71 were already receiving CAMHS support
- 73 referrals found to be duplicate, incomplete or inappropriate
Crucially, Talk has helped streamline access, achieving an average referral-to-assessment time of just six days, and nine days from assessment to treatment pathway; setting a new standard for timely mental health care.
Andrea Chambers, CEO of Isle Listen commented:
'We are proud to have worked in close partnership with Manx Care on the CAMHS Transformation Project and to deliver the Talk service through Isle Listen. This programme has shown the real impact of early intervention and joined‑up working, ensuring children and young people can access the right support quickly and without unnecessary barriers.
Talk has been designed to offer timely, compassionate support while working seamlessly alongside CAMHS, and the outcomes achieved so far demonstrate just how powerful collaboration can be in improving mental health support for young people across the Island.'
Improving pathways and outcomes for young people
The combined efforts of the waiting list initiative and the Talk service have strengthened mental health support for young people on the Island. Key outcomes include:
- Faster access to assessments and treatment
- Clearer and more appropriate pathways for low to moderate needs
- More young people receiving the right support at the right time
- A notable improvement in the total number of young people waiting for help
A transformation that’s making a real difference
The CAMHS waiting list project concluded in January 2026, and the Talk service continues. Manx Care can reflect proudly on a transformation programme that has delivered real and lasting change. By strengthening services, reducing waiting times, and ensuring young people can access help sooner, this project marks a major step forward in supporting the wellbeing of children and young people across the Island.
