Dr. Aideen Brides:

I will add to that. I entirely agree and often in primary care we send a referral to CAMHS when we know that is not the best place to send it to. However, due to a big fragmentation of services at primary care level, we often do not know where it is best to send them. Sometimes a child may have needs that would be best dealt with by Enable Ireland’s child development team but because there is such a fragmentation of services it is hard to know where it is best to refer them. They may be sent to CAMHS knowing there is no medical need and as was mentioned, CAMHS is a specialist service. If we are to look at reforming mental health services we have to start looking at all the services provided having a centrally referred process and from there it can be assessed which would be the most appropriate service. I imagine there are many children on that waiting list whose needs would be better met elsewhere.