300 people waiting over a year for Camhs appointment in Cork 

A NEW report on Camhs and Dual Diagnosis by the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth has recommended an additional €50 million in funding, as over 300 people have been waiting over a year for a Camhs appointment in Cork.

Dual diagnosis is the term used when a person experiences both a substance misuse issue and a mental health difficulty, or for someone who has a mental health difficulty alongside an intellectual disability, or autism.

The report notes that Camhs waiting lists have almost doubled since 2019, and that “the length of the waiting list means young people can ‘age off’ a waiting list”, meaning that many “are vulnerable to slipping through the cracks.” 

Figures provided to the Echo by Cork TD and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns show that there are currently 854 young people waiting for Camhs services in Cork, including 68 in Cork North Central, 55 in West Cork, 143 in North Lee, 327 in South Lee and 261 in North Cork.

Of these, 143 have been waiting less than 3 months, 155 are waiting 3-6 months, 127 waiting 6-9 months, 131 9-12 months, 81 12-15 months and 215 have been waiting for more than 15 months, with over half of these in the North Cork area.

A HSE spokesperson told The Echo, “Urgent cases are responded to on a priority basis and referrals to Camhs are prioritised according to their acuity and severity.

“Significant advances have been made in Camhs but several teams still face recruitment challenges. We continue strenuous recruitment efforts locally, nationally and internationally so that we can provide a staffing complement for all teams and offer a timely service to those who need it.” 

The report continues, “The Committee heard some reports of total gatekeeping, whereby, at the mention of either autism or addiction/substance abuse, in addition to mental health issues, young people are excluded from accessing Camhs, despite both of these cohorts being more likely to require mental health support.” 

Some of the key recommendations included an additional €50m funding, split evenly between topping up funding for Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy, and resourcing community and voluntary organisations that provide mental health and general youth supports, which are key to prevention and early intervention.

More meaningful, ambitious and measurable targets should be set in relation to mental health, it recommends, suggesting targets around waiting lists, satisfaction, good standards of care and positive outcomes.

It was also recommended that changes in hours, pay and tax should be implemented as tools to recruit and retain workers in the health services, disability services and social services sectors, and Camhs 

should be exempt from any ongoing and future recruitment freezes.

'HEROIC EFFORTS'

Speaking on the Report, Deputy Kathleen Funchion, Cathaoirleach of the Committee said “Despite the heroic efforts of many working in the sector, disability and mental health supports are not currently being adequately provided by the State, nor have they been for some time.

“Of particular concern for the purposes of this report, is dual diagnosis and the extra challenges that young people with a mental health need, who are either autistic or experiencing addiction/substance abuse, have accessing support.

“This is particularly pressing when you consider that autistic people are seven times more vulnerable to suicide and that addiction/substance abuse also carries an increased suicide risk.

Ms Funchion, who is a candidate for Ireland South in the EU elections, concluded, “Lives are literally on the line and a failure to introduce immediate and meaningful measures now is a failure to do all we can to prevent young lives being lost.”