Mental health waiting times for children are “still not close to acceptable”, Stephen Donnelly has said. 

This time last year, an interim report of an independent review of Ireland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) was published, outlining a number of serious failings within the health service.

It found there a significant numbers of ‘lost cases’ - or children who are not offered appointments for up to two years.

In one part of the country, there were 140 ‘lost’ children and evidence that some teams were properly not monitoring antipsychotic medication.

Speaking to The Hard Shoulder, the Minister for Health said things have improved since then.

“It was at its worst in the middle of the year at about 4,600 children waiting for [treatment],” he said.

“Some of those children are in an urgent situation, they need care quickly… and there is a reasonably high number of those will have got care within the three day target that is set.

“That figure fell - which is what we want to see; it fell in August, September.”

The Department of Health has not been provided with the correct figure since then but Minister Donnelly said he hoped they would fall further.

“I am determined, Mary Butler is determined and I know the people leading the service are determined to bring those waiting lists… down and down,” he said.

Leadership

He also praised Ireland’s first ever Clinical Lead for Youth Mental Health, Dr Amanda Burke, and said the health service is “very fortunate” to have recruited her.

“She’s a highly skilled, highly experienced psychiatrist,” Minister Donnelly said.

“I’ve spoken to her about her plans for how we’re going to make sure every child gets the treatment they need when they need it.”

According to the RCSI, one in three adolescents will experience a problem with their mental health during their lifetime.

You can listen back here:

Main image: Stephen Donnelly.