Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will take the time allocated to me to appeal to the Minister for Health to address the waiting times for child and adolescent mental health services. Children and parents are suffering right across the country and pressure needs to be put on the HSE to develop appropriate services within existing resources as a matter of urgency.

I have figures provided to me last week from the HSE in response to a parliamentary question in relation to waiting times for child and adolescents in Sligo, Leitrim, south Donegal and west Cavan. They are extremely worrying and critically highlight the gaps in mental health services and supports for children and young people, including staff shortages in child and adolescent mental health services. There are currently 221 children on the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, waiting list in the areas I mentioned: 48 are waiting between nought and three months; 45 between three and six months; 43 between six and nine months; 28 between nine and 12 months; and 57 over 12 months. Twenty-six per cent or a quarter of all children in my area are waiting over a year for assessment.

The principle of early intervention is critical when addressing mental health problems, leading to better educational outcomes, avoiding later severe mental health issues, improving quality of life and being more cost effective than later treatment.

In response to a separate parliamentary question, I was informed by the HSE that in July 2015 two positions of child psychiatrist attached to the child and adolescent mental health team became vacant in Sligo, Leitrim, south Donegal and west Cavan. One of the positions remained vacant until December 2015, but this consultant has since resigned. A second consultant was recruited and took up the post only in October this year.

I understand there are staff shortages in most areas but this has to be radically addressed now, and not next year. We need to see increased staffing for the child and adolescent community and mental health teams. The delivery of 24-hour emergency CAMHS in all community healthcare organisations, CHOs, and the proper resourcing of CAMHS community services are fundamental to achieving this. However, this will not be possible with such a low staff complement.

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