Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The waiting list for CAMHS in CHO 1, which includes Cavan and Monaghan, has increased. This demonstrates that the system is failing children with mental health issues. It is shocking to learn that in one month alone, the waiting list grew by 17, which may not sound like a lot. However, in CHO 1, a total of 282 young people were on a waiting list at the end of September 2019. This represents 15% of the overall national list, which is clearly not good enough. Unfortunately, regional imbalance and inadequate mental health services are a hallmark of the system, as evidenced by the CAMHS waiting lists. The neighbouring CHO, which covers Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, has only 17 people on its waiting list. When one area has a waiting list of 282 and another has a waiting list of 17, it is clear that something is fundamentally wrong with the system.

Over the past decade children and young people have faced new pressures from social media and online engagement. We should broaden access to mental health services rather than limit it. We are letting our young people down because CAMHS is not up to scratch. In fact, we are failing them abysmally. The system is failing children with mental health issues. What is needed is the implementation of a strategy that will bring CAMHS up to scratch but that has not been happening.

We all receive emails on a daily basis from our constituents on various issues but I received one on 17 June last, which left me stuck to my chair. It provided a striking and profound insight into mental health services in Cavan and Monaghan. The writer began, "Dear Niamh, I read with interest your parliamentary question regarding CAMHS data for Cavan/Monaghan" and then drew to my attention the worrying revelation that she, as an adult mental health service user, was potentially taking up a therapy spot for a child. One might ask oneself how that might happen. The e-mailer found this practice "highly unethical" and expressed her concerns to the relevant HSE personnel only to be informed that the ethics of the decision to continue seeing an adult service user once a psychologist has changed posts from adult services to child and adolescent services were not the concern of the service user, in spite of one child fewer being seen as a result. The writer said that she felt she was being stonewalled on the issue. She was awaiting a response to letters sent to the HSE on 3 and 4 May, detailing her concerns. To date, she has not received a response.

I ask the Minister of State to convey my concerns to the HSE regarding this unjust and unethical scenario. I was so struck by the email that I phoned the young woman and met her over a cup of tea. She is a very articulate and concerned young woman who has been using mental health services in Cavan/Monaghan for a number of years. She is very much aware of international models of best practice but has had to battle with the HSE for a service suited to her needs. She is very articulate and has a clear understanding of what will meet her needs. She has articulated in a very clear, understandable and educated way to the HSE that the methodology it is using will not serve her best. What she finds most worrying is that her clinical psychologist, her one-to-one therapist, has taken up a new job with CAMHS. That psychologist moved to CAMHS but took her workload and cases from the adult mental health service with her. She had to carry that work over to CAMHS, which means that she cannot see the children she is meant to see. This adult service user finds that completely unethical and she is correct. She has brought this issue to the attention of the HSE but has not received any concrete answers. I have submitted parliamentary questions on this but have not received a satisfactory answer either. This issue must be examined.

We are told that there are recruitment and staffing problems. Why should this woman who has taken up a job with CAHMS, as she is entitled to do, be expected to take her workload from the adult mental health services with her? The Minister of State met representatives of the mental health services in Bailieborough and so he knows the wonderful work Seán McKiernan and his volunteers are doing there. They are part of a voluntary group which is doing fantastic work. I have heard much about Jigsaw and Fiona Gilmore and Seán McKiernan are championing the idea of bringing Jigsaw to County Cavan. That is a specific service which is not available everywhere in the country. I encourage the Minister of State to engage with us on that because we want it provided in Cavan.

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