Sinn Fein spokesperson for Mental Health Mark Ward TD has said that the Government must not waste any more time and conduct an independent national review of CAHMS.
Teachta Ward called for this national review in April last year when issues with CAHMS in South Kerry came to the fore.
The report of the review in South Kerry was published recent.
Teachta Ward said:
“In April last year I called on Minister Mary Butler to conduct an independent national review of CAHMS after issues with CAHMS in South Kerry came to the fore.
“There are currently over 3000 of our young people who are currently waiting for appointments in a CAMHS psychiatry service over 200 of these children are waiting for up to a year for psychiatry service
“The report on the review in South Kerry was published and the results are quite shocking but not surprising
“Children were being overly prescribed medication.
“Children were effectively put in chemical restraints
“Not only was there no clinical lead, but there was also no Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist from 2016 for the CAMHS in South Kerry
“There is still none to this day
“There was no system used to check the prescribing of medication or the quantity of service by the Doctor’s supervisors
“Concerns where first raised about the Doctor in 2018, again in 2019 about over prescribing medication. And despite this when a new senior medical manager started in 2020, concerns about the doctor were not handed over to the new medical manager
“There were ample opportunities to prevent these young people from having to experience such appalling treatment
“People need to be held accountable and the whistle blower who highlighted these failures needs to be commended
“I called on the Minister in April of last year to conduct and independent national review of CAHMS across the state. She failed to act . No more time can be wasted and im calling for national review to happen immediately
“The HSE have issue all families affected with an apology but they need much more than that.
“People need to be held accountable and the whistle blower who highlighted these failures needs to be commended
