SERVICES to help young people with deep personal problems are under “severe pressure”, Graham Bryce, the consultant psychiatrist who is heading the major inquiry into child and adolescent mental health, told the conference.

Demand is rising but provision remains “patchy”, especially for children with less acute difficulties, Dr Bryce said. There was often a three-month waiting list. A school nurse admitted she often had nowhere to refer a growing number of cases.

Dr Bryce’s inquiry, promoted through the Public Health Institute Scotland, is due to report before the end of the year and includes surveys of young people.

“One of the things we hear from young people and people who work with them is that stigma is a big issue. The word mental in mental health is a big problem because it has all kinds of connotations, none of them positive. For those and other reasons, many young people are reluctant to use the specialist services,” he said.

Dr Bryce, who works at Yorkhill NHS Trust in Glasgow, said high priority groups were affected by conditions such depression, schizophrenia and anorexia. Others had complex problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

“For some young people it can be difficult to tease out whether ADHD is an issue as part of their problem,” he said.

Post-traumatic stress as a result of abuse was common among looked-after children. Those with disabilities and young carers were particularly susceptible to mental health problems.