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CAMHS services under considerable pressure across Cork and Southwest

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An interim report published by the Inspector of Mental Health Services, Dr Susan Finnerty has highlighted a number of very serious issues including immediate clinical reviews of open cases with all teams in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health System (CAMHS).

The report analysed the provision CAMHS facilities in 5 out of 9 community health care organisation regions covering Munster (including North Cork, North Lee, South Lee, West Cork) and much of Leinster.

Some the issues identified are as follows –

  • Children getting ‘lost’ in the system
  • Long waiting lists
  • Staffing problems
  • Lack of capacity
  • Lack of emergency and out-of-hours services
  • Failure to manage risk
  • Failure to properly resource services or support staff
  • Anti-psychotic drugs prescribed without proper supervision

The interim report calls on the HSE to begin an immediate clinical review of all open cases nationwide.

Related articles

January 24th, 2023: CAMHS Report finds 140 ‘lost’ cases

January 23rd, 2023: Tánaiste describes findings of Interim Report on CAMHs ‘unacceptable’

February 4th, 2022: HSE Report on long waiting lists at CAMHS across the country

February 2nd, 2022: Government committed to ‘non-adversarial scheme’ in compensating those affected by CAMHS Report in South Kerry

January 27th, 2022: CAMHS Report in South Kerry prompts “full audit nationwide”

About the Author: Avril Scally is a Partner and Nicholas Moore is a Solicitor on award-winning the Medical Negligence Team at Lavelle Partners.