Following the launch of the College paper for A Model of Governance and Management Structures for CAMHS, the Irish Times has covered the current state of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services in Ireland at present and the College’s proposal for an urgent overhaul.
Read the full article on the Irish Times here, and read highlights from the article below:
Speaking about the proposals, Dr Patricia Byrne, chair of the faculty of child and adolescent psychiatry, said one of the issues facing mental health services currently is “we can’t recruit”.
The HSE’s pay and numbers strategy has “effectively prevented recruitment then or in future, for previously approved posts or to seek new additional posts”, she said
“Increased staffing in the HSE has increased in the acute hospital sector. On the front line, very little has changed in terms of staffing. Nothing has improved to any significant degree,” she said.
Dr Byrne said a report by the Mental Health Commission identified “national deficits” in team staffing, resources and a failure to respond to risks.
“This has led to variable and, at times, a suboptimal service for children and adolescents who suffer from severe mental illness,” she said.
According to Dr Byrne, if its proposed changes are not introduced, the consequence would see a continuation of a system that is “not fit for purpose”.
“More young people will continue to not receive gold-class service sitting on waiting lists. More young people are impacted. More staff end up burnt out,” she said.