A health chief has spoken of his concern that children with emotional and psychiatric problems face up to a year's wait to see specialists for help in Bradford.

Latest figures show there were a total of 502 youngsters - with problems including sexual abuse, eating disorders, drug addiction, behavioural difficulties and truanting from school - on the waiting list to see specialist staff with the Bradford Community Health NHS Trust's child and adolescent service in July.

And the figure rose by more than 100 between April and July with 74 waiting between six and nine months for appointments and 27 waiting between nine and 12 months.

Children referred for urgent help can be seen within two days while victims of sex abuse and truants are also fast-tracked to be seen in less than eight weeks.

At a meeting of the Trust's board, chairman John Watson said he was concerned about the latest position, particularly with more than 100 youngsters waiting more than six months for help.

"The truth is, it is a big problem and it is a problem which seems to have risen much faster than I was expecting," he said.

"There are 100 young people in the city who depend on us for their care and we are keeping them and their families who care for them waiting more than six months."

Chief executive Con Egan said the waiting time would be definitely reduced to less than six months in the short term, and efforts from there would be concentrated on reducing the wait to a maximum of three months.

The director of mental health at the Trust, Dr Simon Baugh, said a number of new staff had been appointed, using cash savings and extra money from the Government to cut waiting lists while further appointments were planned.

A staffing crisis on the three acute inpatient wards at Lynfield Mount Hospital has been eased following a major recruitment drive, Trust chiefs were told at yesterday's meeting.

There were 19 vacancies out of 100 staff on the wards at one point during the summer but an intensive recruitment campaign has led to all but one of the posts being filled.

Has your child had to wait for help? If so, contact the T&A newsdesk on (01274) 729511 ext. 400.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.