Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Does Dr. Finnerty have a comment on the fact that child and adolescent mental health teams undermine professional referrals from GPs that are sent in good faith after assessing a child? The GP would not refer the child to the mental health services unless he or she had a serious concern. Often GPs receive a letter stating the referral was inappropriate and asking whether the doctor had seen the patient. That is totally unacceptable. It happens on a regular basis in Mayo. It undermines the entire service being provided. It also undermines the patient's relationship with the GP because the parent is often copied in on the letter. They have had the courage to come in with the child to disclose whatever needs to be disclosed to the doctor. They trust their GP, with whom they have a long-term relationship. The doctor makes a referral in good faith and then a letter is received by the doctor, with the parent copied in, stating the referral was inappropriate. I do not know about this. People are falling through the cracks. Mental illness that is not dealt with in children and teenagers does not go away, it just manifests later. A review of the structures regarding referrals and accepting referrals needs to be undertaken.