The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services is “dysfunctional” and under staffed in parts, a review by the Mental Health Commission has concluded. 

The report found some improvements to the service had been made in recent months - noting a database for children and adolescents on medication had been set up in Cavan/Monaghan and funding had also been made available to help children with ADHD.

However, the report also found “evidence of dysfunctional team working in one team” and there were “serious concerns about the management of clinical files” in another.

In addition, there are not enough staff members to cope with an increasing population and recruitment and retention are also issues in parts of the country.

Mental Health Commission CEO John Farrelly said it is notable that the quality of care varies across Ireland.

“We found a number of things,” he said.

“I suppose the main thing is that there’s a variation across the country.

“If a child goes into a service in one part of the country, they’re not guaranteed that they’ll get the same service they would in another part of the country.

“So, really what we’re finding is a variation across the country, there’s issues around staffing [and] there’s issues around monitoring of medication.”

A copy of the report has been sent to the Minister for Health and it include a numbers for suggestions for reform.

“There’s 49 recommendations which we’ve put in place to really ameliorate the issues that have been found,” Mr Farrelly said.

“We’re also asking that a strategy is put in place for CAMHS and for youth mental health services - and we’re also asking that CAMHS is regulated.

“If these steps are put in place, we’d be confident that we can rebuild CAMHS and that CAMHS is as effective throughout Ireland.”

Main image: Doctor writing prescriptions. Image: Wavebreak Media ltd / Alamy Stock Photo