Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for having to leave. I missed the second presentation so some of my comments may have been dealt with. I will deal with three issues. The first relates to recruitment and retention. I heard a Minister this morning, when he was addressing this very issue, say that it was an international problem and that Ireland is no different from anywhere else. He proposed that tele-psychiatry would be the answer to recruitment and retention. I would like the witnesses' view on that. From my experience, the one-to-one personal contact that a patient has with his or her carer, whether a doctor or a nurse, is most important, particularly with regard to continuity of care. If one is trying to solve mental health issues over the Internet or Skype, it is a poor substitute for having a nurse, doctor or therapist to speak to a person.

The second issue relates to community care teams, specifically CAMHS. In my area in west Clare, we do not have a consultant psychiatrist. We have not had a psychologist for six years. We have half a social worker. The team is very understaffed. The problem with that is that those who are left standing are burning out. Not only do we not have the personnel to fill the gaps, but those who are there are under serious pressure. There seems to be a lack of urgency in addressing this issue.

The third issue relates to talk therapy and medication. Many quite serious mental health issues do not involve a biochemical imbalance but the treatment that is given is very potent medication. I do not think that is appropriate. I know we referred to €400 million for psychotropic drugs and €10 million for talk therapy but it is not as simple as that.

Nevertheless, the tendency to reach for the prescription pad is very easy. If one does not have the top therapists, psychologists and cognitive behavioural therapy available that is the option. One is treating conditions which do not involve a biochemical imbalance with very potent drugs. Perhaps the witnesses might address those issues.

The amount of medication being prescribed for children with mental health issues is quite frightening. Quite often these medications are not addressing the issue at all, but rather are blunting symptoms instead of treating the underlying condition. I ask the witnesses to address those issues.