Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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725. To ask the Minister for Health the funding required to end the inappropriate admission of children and adolescents with mental health difficulties to adult wards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13415/16]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The reduction in the numbers of children admitted to adult psychiatric units has been a priority for the HSE Mental Health Services over recent years. Progress in this area has been significant, as evidenced by the fact that the number of such admissions to adult units in 2008 was 247, declining to 89 at the end of 2014. The trend was reversed slightly, with a increase of 6 such admissions in 2015, against the background of increasing demands on CAMHS services overall.

In March 2016, 98.7% of bed days used were in Child and Adolescent Acute Inpatient Units, an improvement on 97.2% in February. Performance continues to be above the HSE Service Plan target of 95%, indicating that where a child has been admitted to an adult acute inpatient unit, the length of stay has been kept to a minimum.

It is important to note, that while figures for 2015 show 95 admissions of children to adult psychiatric units, the number of admissions does not necessarily equate to the actual number of children admitted, as a child may be admitted on more than one occasion in any given year. In 2015, there were a total of 356 CAMHS admissions, of which 261 (73%) were to age-appropriate units and 95 (27%) to Adult Units. The HSE National Service Plan 2016 allows for some operational flexibility surrounding emergency placements in Adult Units, particularly where very short-term placements take place, taking account of the preferences of all those involved and geographical factors relating to access or visiting. In this context, this HSE continues to monitor all CAMHS admissions to adult units, with a view to minimising admissions to Adult Units as much as possible.