Cork psychology services in crisis as waiting list tops 4,000

NEW figures have shown that the amount of children and adolescents in Cork waiting for primary care psychology services are five times higher than those waiting for Camhs appointments.

More than 4,000 people under the age of 18 are on the waiting list to be seen by the primary care psychology team, with almost 60% of them waiting more than a year.

Primary care psychology services are for children and adolescents with mild-moderate mental health difficulties, while Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) teams are for children and adolescents with moderate-severe difficulties.

Figures released by the HSE to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, in response to a parliamentary question, show that there are currently 4,160 young people waiting to be seen by the Cork primary care psychology services.

There are 1,632 young people awaiting appointments in the South Lee Area, 1,531 in North Lee, 633 in North Cork, and 364 in West Cork, with the total figure 752 more than in August 2023.

According to a separate parliamentary question response to Ms Cairns, the number of young people waiting for psychology with Camhs teams in Cork is 854, meaning that there are almost five times more young people waiting for primary care psychology.

Of the 4,160 awaiting an appointment, 347 have been waiting less than three months, 426 between three to six months, 420 waiting six to nine months, 432 waiting nine to 12 months, and 2,532 are waiting over a year.

Priscilla Lynch, primary care’s head of service for the Cork Kerry region, acknowledged in the PQ response that “the timeframe for such a service is less than desirable”.

“This is as a consequence to a number of factors, including a growth in demand for services and also the implications of resource deficit due to the present recruitment embargo,” she stated.

Speaking to The Echo, Ms Cairns said: “There has rightly been a very strong focus on the need to reform Camhs services and reduce their waiting lists across the country, however the crisis facing primary care psychology services has largely slipped under the radar.”

'STAGGERING'

Calling the waiting list figures “staggering”, she said: “The earlier we intervene and provide mental health support, the less likely it is that the young person’s mental health difficulties will become entrenched or get worse.

“I am also concerned that we have been provided a figure for young people who have been waiting in excess of 12 months for services, but we have no idea whether they have been waiting for 13 months, two years, three years, or more.

“It is undeniable that the HSE’s recruitment embargo will have had an impact on these waiting lists, as was suggested by the HSE in their response to this PQ. This is in contrast to the Government line that HSE staffing numbers are at their highest, and that services are not being impacted by the embargo,” she said, calling for the HSE and the minister of State for mental health to produce a plan to address waiting lists.

A spokesperson for the HSE told The Echo: “We sincerely regret the waiting times for both primary care psychology and for Camhs, and we are working to reduce both.

“We accept the impact on children waiting for appointments at both services, and we are very aware of the importance to young people and their families to timely access to services.”

In relation to the Primary Care Psychology service, the spokesperson said: “We are facing challenges in providing timely access due to both a very significant increase in the number of referrals, as well as staffing challenges. More than half of the funded posts in the service are vacant, and recruitment of psychologists is currently very difficult.

“We would like to reassure parents and families that referrals to primary care psychology service are triaged as they are received, so that children are directed to the most appropriate service. If a child’s needs increase while they are waiting for an appointment, then their family or caregiver should speak to their GP in case a referral to another service is needed.”