Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In an alarming report, we learned that staff working for child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, in community healthcare organisation, CHO, 3, which includes County Tipperary, stated they believed the service was unsafe due to lack of staff and consultant cover. In a lengthy report, issues were identified with staffing capacity of the CAMHS team to provide a safe service to vulnerable children. The report contained instances where children were left without renewal of prescriptions until a consultant psychiatrist returned to duty. A case was highlighted where two children waited for four and six days, respectively, in UHL's emergency department before being assessed. Separately, an internal review by CAMHS identified 140 children across the CHO region who were not receiving follow-up appointments. It also found that the CAMHS service was staffed at less than two thirds of the national recommendations. Staffing is the kernel of this issue. Could the Taoiseach tell me, or follow up to see what steps can be taken to upskill mental health staff to include training in intellectual disabilities?

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