Mental health staffing crisis revealed

THE true extent of the staffing crisis in community mental health services has been revealed as figures show just 21 of 124 adult community mental health teams (CMHTs) and one of 53 child and adolescent teams are fully staffed.

Under the Government’s reform policy, it is envisaged that mental health services will mainly be community-based, but a lack of community-based staff is seriously impinging on delivery of the plan, A Vision for Change (AVFC).

Internal HSE briefing documents show the extent of the problem, stating that fewer than half of adult teams have a clinical psychologist appointed, while just 26% of child and adolescent teams have childcare workers.