HSE defends Camhs doctor guilty of running 'unsafe' school in UK

Dr Albert Amaechi Okoye has been registered with the Irish Medical Council since August 2019 and it is understood he regularly works with the Camhs in Waterford.

The HSE has said it is satisfied with the work of a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) doctor who pleaded guilty in the UK to running what that country’s educational watchdog described as an “unsafe unregistered” school.

Dr Albert Amaechi Okoye has been registered with the Irish Medical Council since August 2019 and it is understood he regularly works with the Camhs in Waterford.

In September 2019 he pleaded guilty, along with two others, at Lincoln Magistrates Court to conducting an unregistered independent school following an extensive investigation of the Freiston Hall facility in Lincolnshire by Ofsted.

A statement issued by Ofsted in early October 2019 outlined how “local authorities were misled into paying thousands of pounds of public money for children to be educated in an unsafe unregistered school”.

The statement said: “The prosecution, only the third of its kind, was brought following an investigation by Ofsted’s unregistered schools taskforce.

“Six local authorities were misled into paying hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money for children to be educated at Freiston Hall.

“Local authorities were being charged £1,200 a week for each child’s education. Freiston Hall clearly sought to identify itself as a school in its name, on its website and in other documents. 

Some local authorities told Ofsted that they were assured by the school that it was registered.

“Freiston Hall was an unregistered school for looking after children with highly complex physical and mental health needs.

“Children lived on site at the registered children’s home while receiving all their education at the on-site unregistered school.” 

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Dr Okoye was issued a warning by the UK General Medical Council in May of last year, with its website indicating that the warning will expire on May 10 of this year. The warning relates to the 2019 plea by Dr Okoye and others at Lincoln Magistrates Court.

According to the UK General Medical Council site: “On 26 September 2019 you pleaded guilty to the following charge: ‘Between 31/10/2017 and 12/07/18 at Freiston, conducted an unregistered independent educational institution, namely Freiston Hall School. Contrary to section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008.’

“Consequently, you received a conditional discharge for 12 months from the Lincoln Magistrates Court. This conduct does not meet with the standards required of a doctor. It risks bringing the profession into disrepute and it must not be repeated.

“Whilst this failing is not so serious as to require any restriction on your registration, it is necessary in response to issue this formal warning.” 

Dr Albert Okoye and two others received a conditional discharge and were ordered to pay £1,000 costs and £20 victim surcharge.

According to the Irish Medical Council website, Dr Albert Amaechi Okoye has been registered here since August 27, 2019, with a speciality in child and adolescent psychiatry.

It is understood the HSE was made aware of the court proceedings at the time and it has no issues with Dr Okoye’s work in Ireland.

A HSE spokesperson said: “We can’t discuss details of individual staff. However, we were made aware at time of the issue you have raised and are satisfied that it has no known implications for the quality of clinical service being provided.” 

Sinn Féin’s TD for Waterford, David Cullinane, who is also the party's health spokesperson, said: “While I welcome the HSE's reassurances on the quality of clinical service being provided, it is important that all the facts are established, including or especially regarding the HSE's own processes when it comes to hiring much-needed Camhs staff.”