Close to 40% of children waiting over a year for Camhs appointment in Cork

Almost 40% of children on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) waiting lists in Cork have been waiting over 12 months for services.

The latest Camhs waiting list data from Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) shows there were 921 children or teenagers awaiting mental health services across Cork at the end of December, 2024.

Some 363 (39.4%) of these had been on the waiting lists for more than 12 months.

More than 80% had been waiting over three months.

North Cork recorded the largest waiting list with 231 children or teenagers in total waiting for services, including 94 who had been waiting more than a year.

There were 183 awaiting services in South Lee 3 with 101 on the waiting list for more than 12 months.

South Lee 1 also recorded one of the largest waiting lists with 143 awaiting services, including 70 who had been on the list for more than a year.

A spokesperson for CKCH said the service is “truly sorry that people needing our services have to wait longer than they or we would like”.

“We sincerely apologise to the children and young people, and their families/carers who have had to wait for the support they need.

“Despite the hard work of our teams, some services still have long waiting lists.

“While there are reasons for these delays, we know that what matters most to children and their parents or guardians is the effort being made to reduce the waiting times,” the spokesperson added.

Camhs community services within CKCH are provided through eight community sector teams in Cork, along with the Child and Adolescent Regional Eating Disorder Services (Careds) team.

In addition, CKCH provides a Camhs liaison service at Cork University Hospital and Mercy University Hospital.

The spokesperson said that six initiatives are under way to support decreasing the existing waiting lists, improve service delivery, and support wait-list reductions for Camhs services in Cork, and added that continuous dedicated efforts are under way to implement these changes.

The initiatives include an ADHD wait-list blitz and streamlining assessment process; centralised referrals and pooled waiting lists; and discharge planning and client initiated reviews as well as a focus on clinical capacity.

“Telemedicine clinics have been implemented for the North Cork team, ensuring we are utilising every resource available to provide access to young people and their families in that area,” the spokesperson continued.

“We are currently scoping the use of telemedicine to support the delivery of care and supports to other teams in Cork.

“The SNAP Team [a neurodevelopmental assessment pathway] was developed in October, 2023, as a waitlist initiative,” they added.

“This team provides assessments and treatment for young people waiting longest for access to Camhs, who have symptoms consistent with ADHD.

“To date, this team has removed over 260 young people from the community Camhs teams waiting lists.”

The spokesperson stated that recruitment within the HSE has been challenging over the last 12 months.

“However, significant efforts are being made to fill vacant posts within the Camhs teams across Cork city and county, which in turn will provide enhanced stability and greater capacity.

“We deeply regret that individuals in need of our services are facing longer-than-expected wait times.

“This is not the standard of service we strive to provide, and we want to assure the children and young people affected that we will continue to work diligently to address these issues and improve access to the critical support they need.”

CKCH also revealed that 336 adults are on the waiting list for adult mental health services in Cork city and county.

“We sincerely regret that anyone in need of our services has to wait longer than either we or they would wish,” the spokesperson said.

“We sincerely apologise to those who have been waiting for longer times in accessing much-needed services and supports.

“We would also like to reassure the public that across all our services, urgent cases are prioritised, which means that those in the most urgent need are seen more quickly than others, often within 24 to 48 hours.

“In a crisis situation, we would urge the service user to engage with their GP, SouthDoc, or present to the nearest emergency department, where necessary support will be available.”

Speaking to this newspaper, Cork TD and Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice said: “It’s scandalous that 80% of people are waiting over three months for Camhs services.

“These are children with some of the most severe and complex mental health difficulties, and yet they are being left to languish on a waiting list.

“Of particular concern are the 363 children — almost 40% — who have been waiting over a year for Camhs services.

“In 2023, the Mental Health Commission identified serious deficits in Camhs and called for its immediate regulation.

“However, two years later, community Camhs is still not independently regulated.

“These latest figures are yet another stark reminder why the de-facto self-regulation of Camhs by the HSE cannot continue,” Mr Rice concluded.