Latest CAMHS report 'exposes totally inadequate mental health supports' for Cork children

A RECENT report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Cork “exposes totally inadequate mental health supports available to children and young people" in the region, a Cork TD has stated. 

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould called on the Government to support Sinn Féin legislation to regulate CAMHS.

His comments followed the publication of a report by the Mental Health Commission into mental health support in Community Healthcare Organisation 4 (CHO4), which includes Cork.

The report revealed that CAMHS teams in Cork/Kerry are without a permanent psychologist, and that children have been left waiting almost 200 days for intervention after deliberate self-harm and over 50 days after suicidal intent and ideation.

Last month, The Echo revealed that 365 children had been waiting more than 12 months for CAMHS in Cork/Kerry. Information obtained from Cork Kerry Community Healthcare shows that 838 children are on the CAMHS waiting list in Cork alone.

Speaking about the latest report, Deputy Gould said: “The latest report by the Mental Health Commission into CAMHS exposes totally inadequate mental health supports available to children and young people in Cork.

"Three teams are without a permanent psychologist in Cork/Kerry, poor communication leaves teams without any information when they escalate a case, children are left waiting almost 200 days for intervention after deliberate self-harm and over 50 days after suicidal intent and ideation.

“Mental health care should be based on need and not where a child lives but that is exactly what this report highlights.

"A postcode lottery of care has developed under this Government and children in Cork are suffering as a result.

“The Mental Health Commission has made 49 recommendations that the government must accept and implement to reform CAMHS and improve care to children," he added. 

“We have had no commitment or direction from the Government outlining if they will implement these recommendations. This is a Government asleep at the wheel and totally failing to step up and provide the services young people should be able to rely on.

“Our young people and their families cannot wait, which is why Sinn Féin’s mental health spokesperson Mark Ward has introduced legislation that would give statutory powers to the Mental Health Commission to oversee the implementation of their recommendations.” 

Deputy Gould called on the Government to support the legislation so children and young people in Cork can get the support they need, saying they deserve better.

HSE Response

A spokesperson for Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) welcomed the publication of the report on CAMHS in the Cork/Kerry area, and said work is underway to improve and develop mental health services for children and young people in Cork.

The spokesperson said progress over the last 12 months included intensive work to open a regional CAMHS Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessment service, which will open this autumn; additional work to establish a regional CAMHS crisis hub; ongoing work to transform the way CAMHS services are delivered across the region by creating new roles; and implementation in full of 29 of the recommendations of the Maskey Report, with intensive work underway on the six remaining recommendations.

The spokesperson also noted, however, that the commission recommends other methods of CAMHS provision, which the spokesperson said has been part of the ongoing work to fully implement the Maskey recommendations.

“As well as making greater use of telemedicine (remote appointments), we are examining other approaches to service delivery," they added.

“Young people and their families and indeed CAMHS staff may understandably be concerned by this report.

“We want to reassure them that the Maskey Report has proved to be a significant catalyst for positive change across our CAMHS services, and we are committed to using this additional feedback from the Mental Health Commission to support our efforts to make a real difference for young people using CAMHS.”