1,887 children wait over six months for psychology services in Cork

A total of 1,887 children in the HSE’s Cork South Lee area have been waiting over six months for primary care child and adolescent psychology service, with hundreds of these waiting more than two years.

As of the end of January, there were 195 people waiting between six and nine months, 205 waiting between nine months and a year, 591 waiting between one and two years, and 896 waiting more than two years.

The data was provided by the HSE to Sinn Féin Cork South-Central TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, with a HSE spokesperson saying: “Regrettably the area has had ongoing and significant recruitment challenges whereby the vacancy rate has been high from 2018.”

During the HSE recruitment embargo, vacancies and new posts were not filled, nor was cover achieved for statutory leave, they said, adding that they have been “actively recruiting” since the embargo was replaced with the Pay and Numbers Strategy last summer, with a number of posts at various stages of recruitment.

Mr Ó Laoghaire told The Echo that the figures were “absolutely appalling”.

“I’m worried that people are potentially ageing out without ever having been seen. If they join the list at 16, what happens when they turn 18 and are still on the list? The HSE needs to provide clarity on this, and we need more recruitment urgently.”

The HSE spokesperson said the HSE South West has advertised for a director of psychology “to provide adequate governance overall for psychology services in the region” and to “ensure that limited resources can be reviewed and reconfigured based on population needs”.

“Given the backlog and cumulative increase in the rate of referral to primary care services, a significant increase in staffing is required.

“Where psychologists are not in place, a skill mix will be considered which may include professionally trained staff offering a level of therapeutic support to children and families to meet children’s needs.”

Whilst awaiting the director of psychology recruitment, senior management locally are working with psychology managers in the region, aiming to address the timelines and also “identify alternative suitable pathways which can be offered to parents/guardians and children as more timely measures to address some presenting needs whilst they await expert clinical supports, treatment, and care”.