Phantom referrals causing delays to mental health care for children across Leitrim, claims Martin Kenny TD

Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny has said that children in Leitrim, Sligo and south Donegal deserve better mental health services and should not have to wait to access them.  

He was speaking ahead of legislation being brought forward by Sinn Féin which seeks to regulate CAMHS under the Mental Health Act, which will be debated in the Dáil this evening. 

Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said, “There were almost 300 children who were waiting to be seen by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) last August. CHO 1 is the HSE area covering the majority of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.

“Of the 294 children awaiting assessment in CHO 1, 122 of these children were waiting at least twelve weeks for their first assessment with CAMHS. Children across Sligo, Leitrim and south Donegal deserve better mental health services. They should not have to wait three months to access mental health services, especially children in crisis.  

“I am aware of a new and even more disturbing practice of referring a child in crisis from CAMHS to another HSE team, which often has not been established, or in fact does not exist. 

“I have dealt with cases recently where a child has been referred from CAMHS to an intellectual disability and mental health team which has not yet been established. When I asked the HSE to allow this childs’ care to transfer to a team that had been established in a neighbouring CHO area, this was refused.

“Similarly, I have also had cases of children who are in crisis being referred a ‘post-diagnostic team’. While awaiting the appointment both the parent of the child and I tried to contact the team, to be told such a team did not exist. This type of phantom referring cannot continue, it only serves to remove children who are desperately in need from waiting lists.

“The Mental Health Commission’s report into CAMHS highlighted a number of issues with CAMHS, including children lost to follow up, lack of monitoring of psychiatric medicines, unacceptable waiting times for high risk referrals  and many more operational issues. 

“This evening in the Dái l, my Sinn Féin colleague and our spokesperson  on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, will debate a bill to regulate children’s mental health services. His bill has been informed by the recommendations made by the Mental Health Commission in their report on CAMHS. 

“If this legislation is supported and passed, it will finally give the Commission the statutory powers to oversee and implement the remainder of their 49 recommendations. This will drive improvements, help tackle waiting lists, and bring an end  to the unacceptable postcode lottery of care. 

“Children with a dual diagnosis of mental ill-health and an intellectual disability are falling through the cracks as are neurodiverse children. Parents, children and stakeholders have been highlighting the crisis in children’s mental health which has gotten worse under this Government. 

“Sinn Féin have engaged with families and stakeholders. We have listened to their experiences. We are taking them seriously. Unfortunately, this Minister has dragged her feet in the matter.  

“Passing this legislation is the first step in tackling the crisis in children’s mental health and will lay the foundation to reduce waiting lists. 

“This cannot be kicked down the road. Children across Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and indeed the wider northwest cannot wait any longer for the regulation of CAMHS.”