‘May you live in interesting times’ is an old Confucian curse which is haunting the SNP today.

When Humza Yousaf decided to launch his SNP leadership campaign under an exit sign in Clydebank Town Hall, he could not have foreseen the torrid time he would have as First Minister.

Since Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation in February, the country has seen a whirlwind leadership campaign and the SNP is divided and in complete chaos.

Ms Sturgeon’s husband and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was arrested and interviewed by Police Scotland under caution. So too was the SNP’s treasurer, Colin Beattie.

This turmoil is a distraction for the new leader, who is focused on internal party matters rather than the priorities of the people of Scotland.

Meanwhile, Labour is working hard to speak up for people in our communities who have been failed by the Tory government in Westminster and the SNP government in Holyrood.

The complete disarray of the SNP has a knock-on effect on the people of Scotland.

While the blame game is being played and question marks remain over the party’s finances, focus is removed from the likes of the economy, education and health and social care.

The latter of these has been the responsibility of Mr Yousaf since he was appointed Cabinet Secretary in May 2021.

His leadership contender Kate Forbes outlined his failings in previous roles in justice and transport during clashes in the recent campaign to become leader of the SNP, yet he was handed this top job.

He has failed to tackle the problems which have blighted the health service throughout his tenure and one of the worst affected areas is mental health services for children and young people.

The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, recently highlighted the case of Alan Galbraith, from Dumbarton, who has been waiting for treatment through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for the entire time in which Mr Yousaf was health secretary.

During this period, his family have seen him withdraw and face difficulties at school and have witnessed a deterioration in his behaviour.

They are completely frustrated at the lack of support being given to him and have been given no indication of when Alan will be able to be seen and assessed.

This is heartbreaking and is impacting on his whole family.

Sadly, Alan isn’t the only young person locally to suffer due to long waits for mental health assessment and treatment and it is impossible to establish the full effects of this, as the figures which are made available appear to include phone assessments as a first appointment.

The chief officer of the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership needs to do much better for our children and young people.

Young people have faced an incredibly tough time, particularly over the past three years, and they deserve our full support.

I hope that incoming health secretary Michael Matheson is up for the challenge of recovering the NHS from the damage inflicted upon it during Mr Yousaf’s stewardship.