Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is not the best the service can do. It needs to appoint a properly trained person with higher specialist training. There must be a reason the HSE cannot recruit and retain consultant psychiatrists. The answer to that is that there is a toxic management culture, bullying and inappropriate oversight by non-clinicians who do not have clinical responsibility and make decisions that endanger patient safety. The commission's advocacy on decongregation is admirable and I agree with it but I wonder about advocacy in these key areas. There is a situation where children are lactating because of inappropriate prescription of medicine. One cannot treat somebody who has a mental health problem by video link. It is impossible. I would not say it is less than ideal but that it is a scandal. It is completely and utterly unacceptable.