New data reveals an alarming lack of permanent roles filled in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) roles, with over a third currently vacant. The Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA) indicates that these job vacancies, combined with escalating hospital and mental health capability deficits, contribute to excessively long waiting lists.
Details acquired under the Freedom of Information Act display that of the 548 consultant psychiatry positions approved in Ireland, 156 (28%) were either not filled or temporarily filled as of 1st March. This includes 52 unfilled posts, 28 roles filled by agency workers, another 74 temporarily filled, and two of ‘unknown’ status.
In child and adolescent psychiatry, over a third of approved consultant posts were not permanently filled or filled temporarily (44 positions or 35%) by the close of 2023. The Department of Health’s recent figures verify there were 3,759 children on Camhs waiting lists at the culmination of last year.
Despite this being less than the record peak of 4,400 youths on waiting lists, it’s still remarkably high, being around two-thirds (or 62%) higher compared to levels before the pandemic.
Dr Elaine Lockhart from Royal College of Psychiatrists Child and Adolescent Faculty in Scotland shared that there’s been a rise in mental health service referrals post-Covid, especially for young people tested positive with conditions such as eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. She noted even before Covid, children’s mental health was deteriorating due to the impact of growing social inequality and the potential harm of online exposure to vulnerable children.
The enforced lockdowns greatly disrupted the familiar patterns and assuredness of children’s lives, restricting their interaction with friends and causing a significant surge in the need for care, an occurrence which we’ve never encountered before. This bares out the urgent need to ameliorate the accessibility of mental health services to our youngsters, most particularly in their home communities.
Dr Lockhart, a UCD alumni, stressed that bespoke mental health services are a necessity for the critically afflicted, however, the majority of children necessitate and are in pursuit of facilities where they can avail themselves of counselling and guidance in community and school settings.
A representative of the Health Service Executive reiterated that every conceivable effort is put forward to fast-track emergency referrals. This protocol ensures that youngsters with high-risk issues are attended to with urgency, usually within 24-48 hours. Although this may lengthen the wait durations for less serious cases.
As at the close of August 2023, 56% of accepted referrals by the national adolescent and child community teams succeeded in affording an appointment within 12 weeks, falling short of the 78% goal.