Mental health waiting list trebles in Louth

The number of young people waiting to be seen at CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) for first-time appointments in the HSE area that covers Louth has almost trebled in the last three years.

The figures, which were released to Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on mental health, Mark Ward TD, were described by Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú as “a complete failure by this government to prioritise young people’s mental health care”.

The figures for July 2020, when the government came to power, show that there were 270 young people in Community

Healthcare Organisation 8, which covers Louth.

New figures released to Deputy Ward, show that figure now stands at 737.

In July 2020, 108 were waiting less than three months, but now that number has more than tripled to 345.

The numbers waiting between 39 and 52 weeks, has more than quadrupled from 15 to 61.

And the number of young people waiting for more than a year to be seen has gone from 19 in July 2020 to 97, a jump of over 500%.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: “Since this government came into power, there has been an almost trebling of the number of young people waiting in this CHO8 area, including Louth, on vital mental health treatment.

“When this government took office in 2020 the waiting list in CHO8 stood at 270.

“Under this government, there are now 737 young people waiting on vital mental health treatment.

“In this area, 97 of these children have been waiting for over a year for CAMHS services which is a 500% increase on 2020.

“There have been numerous reports into CAMHS recently, which have shown the inefficiencies by both government and HSE.

“This has led to poorer mental health outcomes for our younger people.

“Sinn Féin has published a plan that will transform child and youth mental health services out of a state of crisis.

“Capital investment and accountability reforms are needed in the sector, along with planning for staff to meet the demands of the service.

“We have set out achievable policies, grounded in reality and based on evidence, to deliver the ambitious change that is needed.

“There is also a cliff-edge in our mental health services for young people at 18.

“There is inconsistent continuity of care, and many young people fall out of services or never access them.

“These failures mean that early intervention is passing our young people by.”

A HSE spokesperson said: “It is the responsibility of all in the HSE management, medical, nursing, allied health professionals and administrative staff to work together and change if we are to make services more responsive in both access and quality of outcome. 

“While investment in CAMHS and youth mental health service improvement has grown over the past decade, we know improvements still need to be made and we are determined now to make substantial changes and improvements in the mental health services provided in Ireland to children and adolescents.

“The steps we are taking include:

• The progressing of a new HSE Child and Youth Mental Health Service improvement programme. - The establishment of a new national office for Child and Youth Mental Health which will lead out on this programme to provide leadership, oversight and enhanced governance to services.
• The appointment of both a National Lead and a National Clinical Lead (CAMHS Psychiatrist) for Child and Youth Mental Health to lead this office and the service improvement programme.
• In our new organisational structures and approaches to working (Regional Health Areas) we will strengthen the integration between CAMHS and other services Primary Care, Disability, Acute Hospitals, Social Inclusion.

We know that our children do not stand in one serviced or policy area and there is also work for other state agencies in respect of integration including Education and Youth Justice.”