Psychiatric assessment delay is cruel, warns expert

IT is cruel, unnecessary and a waste of enormous talent to force young people with mental health problems to wait up to three years for a psychiatric assessment, a conference heard last night.

Head of the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, Dr Tony Bates said young people in Ireland rarely got timely, appropriate and effective help.

New Health Service Executive (HSE) figures reveal more than 3,000 children are waiting for psychiatric assessments.