Reports of OCD among under 25s triple in 10 years
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* Long Waiting Lists for OCD Treatment: The NHS (National Health Service) in England faces notable challenges with waiting lists for children and young people needing assessment and treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD).
* Current Wait Times: Currently, the wait for assessment is around 22 months (over 18 months).
* Future Projections: The trust expects wait times to decrease to approximately 12-16 weeks by early Spring 2026, due to additional funding allowing them to hire more staff.
* Acknowledged Difficulty: The trust acknowledges the difficulty and distress caused by these long waits.
* Personal Story - The Fuller Family: Graham and Marie Fuller from Norwich had to seek private treatment for their daughter in Texas (deep brain stimulation surgery) after years of her struggling with OCD and experiencing repeated relapses despite NHS interventions. They felt they had no other choice.
* “Revolving Door” of Treatment: The Fuller’s daughter experienced a cycle of improvement followed by relapse with standard NHS treatments.
In essence, the article highlights the crisis in NHS OCD treatment for young people, the efforts to improve the situation, and the desperate measures some families are forced to take to get their children the help they need.