Number of referrals to Camhs hit 11,700 last year

According to the latest figures, 1,686 children were expected to be seen within three months of referrals and a further 1,671 individuals were on the waiting list.

The number of people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) exceeded expectations last year, as the HSE says it is working on new methods to cut a growing waiting list backlog.

Data provided by the HSE shows 11,702 new or re-referred cases were seen by the community Camhs teams up to the end of last November, compared to an expected activity level of 9,338.

That increase in activity also fed into a growing number of young people on waiting lists to be seen. 

According to the latest figures, at the end of last November, 1,686 children were expected to be seen within three months of referrals and a further 1,671 individuals were on the waiting list.

According to the HSE: "This total of 3,357 compares with the total number of 2,551 waiting at the end of November 2020", adding that 6.6% of cases, representing 221 young people, are waiting more than 12 months.

However, the HSE said the response to urgent referrals was exceeding targets. 

By the end of last November, 75.3% of referrals accepted by child and adolescent community teams nationally were offered an appointment within 12 weeks, against a target of 78%, while 93.8% of urgent referrals to Camhs were responded to within three working days, above the 90% target.

It also said 95.8% of accepted referrals or re-referrals were offered a first appointment and seen within 12 months by Camhs teams, excluding those who did not attend.

Shane O'Connor, who died tragically earlier this month, pictured with his mother Sinead O'Connor. 

There has been a renewed focus on acute mental health services for child and young people following the tragic death of teenager Shane O'Connor earlier this month.

There has been a renewed focus on acute mental health services for child and young people following the Both Tusla and the HSE have stressed the joint protocol between the two bodies and efforts to improve it to deliver services to children and young people engaged with both agencies.

However, the HSE also said it was making efforts to cut waiting times for Camhs, even though there were also recruitment "challenges".

A spokesperson said: "An initiative to reduce the Camhs waiting list is under way with a particular focus on those waiting for more than 12 months. 

"CHOs [community health organisations] with individuals waiting over 12 months are taking dedicated actions to ensure no child is waiting more than 12 months.

However, these increases are attributed to the challenges presented by the increase in population, increase in referrals, staffing retention issues and challenges in recruiting.

"An implementation plan with details around all of the policy recommendations is due to be published later this quarter."

The HSE said there had been a 3.4% rise in employment levels across mental health services generally from December 2019 to November 2021.

It said: "The level of vacancies reflects current employment market conditions. There are difficulties in recruiting both here and in an international context.

"Where there are recruitment gaps, community health organisations make significant efforts to fill positions on a permanent basis while also looking at the possibility of vacancies being filled on an interim or temporary basis in order to ensure the least impact on service provision."

The data also showed there were 25 admissions of children into adult acute mental health units to the end of last November, in line with the 27 across the whole of 2020 and compared to 50 in 2019.

"Local protocols around ensuring that children are only placed in adult inpatient units when all alternative options have been exhausted are currently in place in all CHOs and are monitored and discussed weekly with national management where any instances are targeted to minimise the length of stay," the HSE said.