Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are two child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, units in Wexford north and south, respectively. Referral rates and acceptance of referrals are very different. CAMHS north with a staffing equivalent of 6.3 whole-time equivalents sees 49% of referrals, while CAMHS south with a staffing rate of 7.3 whole-time equivalents sees 29% of referrals. Both services have only half the complement of staff. GPs tell me that the issue is that CAMHS south does not see ADHD referrals. I do not know what an access one diagnosis is but I am reliably informed by GPs that ADHD is an access one diagnosis. We are failing these children. GPs are left scratching their heads with nowhere to go and are contacting the staff in CAMHS north to ask what they can do. We are failing our children and a court case is coming. Can we have a solution?

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