Row delayed 16-year-old’s access to psychiatric services

A 16-YEAR-OLD girl who displayed suicidal tendencies was initially denied access to psychiatric services because of a dispute over whether she should be assessed by adult or child services, the High Court has heard.

The girl, who was eventually assessed after court proceedings were threatened, cannot be identified for legal reasons.

She is now detained on foot of a High Court order at a secure unit outside Dublin on grounds that she is at risk of self-harm.

Yesterday, Mr Justice George Birmingham heard the girl had been involved in some “very serious” incidents since the end of June.

Staff at that facility found the girl with a cord around her neck, she had written the wall “you made me do it and the system is killing me” following what was described as a riot, and she had also made a knot from a sheet.

Late last week a suicide note was also found.

Catherine Ghent, solicitor for the teenager’s court-appointed guardian, told the High Court that an “utterly unacceptable” situation arose when the teenager was taken to a hospital following the discovery of a written suicide note.

The girl was taken to a hospital emergency department at 1pm last Friday for assessment by adult psychiatric services, but she was refused treatment at that unit.

Ms Ghent said that the girl was not assessed on the basis that she was 16 years of age and the unit said she should be assessed by child services.

Ms Ghent said that child assessment services refused to assess the girl on the grounds that at 16 years of age she should be assessed by adult services.

Eventually, the girl was assessed at about 7pm by a psychiatrist at child services after High Court proceedings were threatened.

The psychiatrist who assessed the girl said she was not likely to attempt suicide but should be monitored.

As a precaution, any items that could be used for self-harm were to be removed from the girl’s room.

Ms Ghent said the HSE should provide the court with an explanation as to what is to happen in relation to the girl’s future care.

Counsel for the HSE, Felix McEnroy, said the court would be furnished with a report with details of mental health services for the girl.

Mr Justice Birmingham, who expressed his concern about the situation, adjourned the matter to later this week.