Mental Health Reform, Ireland’s leading national coalition for mental health, has urged the Government to take immediate action following the publication of an independent review of North Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
The review, commissioned by the Health Service Executive, has examined the care of 374 children who were active on the north Kerry CAMHS team database in November 2022. Of these, 209 cases – 56 per cent – were identified as being at risk of potential harm.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Louise Rooney, Policy & Research Manager at Mental Health Reform, said:
“This report is a stark reflection of the challenges in our mental health system. Every child who uses mental health services has the right to appropriate care and support. Too many children have been denied this right due to severe failures in clinical oversight, governance and accountability. We need strong immediate action to restore trust in our mental health services.
The Maskey report revealed that a lack of clinical governance in South Kerry CAMHS exposed children to the risk of harm. This review confirms that poor clinical governance is a national issue across the mental health system. The overreliance on medication and inappropriate prescribing practices is deeply concerning. The failure to monitor and physically assess children taking psychotropic medication has resulted in unsafe, substandard mental health care.
The report provides further evidence of the under-resourcing and understaffing in our mental health services. Limited access to holistic therapeutic interventions has significantly compromised outcomes for young people with complex mental health needs. These failings have caused great distress to the children and families involved.
There is a fundamental need for greater accountability across the health service. Mental Health Reform is calling for the appointment of a National Lead for Mental Health in the HSE to provide strategic oversight and leadership in the improvement of mental health services. While the establishment of the HSE National Youth Mental Health Office is a positive development, meaningful reform requires robust accountability and leadership at the highest level of the HSE.
The findings underscore the need to reform the Mental Health Bill, 2024 to protect the rights of children with mental health difficulties. The legislation must include a statutory right to independent advocacy for all individuals accessing mental health services to ensure that young people can exercise their rights and express their wishes and concerns. As the Bill moves to Report Stage in the Seanad, we urge the Government to strengthen safeguards for children and young people.
Prevention and early intervention are also critical. Investment in these services is key to preventing the development of complex mental health difficulties and reducing the need for costly acute care. The voluntary and community sector is ideally situated to assist in the expansion of mental health services in the community, ensuring access to support at the earliest point possible.
The crisis in CAMHS requires a national coordinated response. We must do all we can to restore trust in our mental health services and ensure that families and children receive the high standard of care they deserve.”
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