Mental health, disability and primary care for children to have single point of access in bid to reduce delays

Children are facing long delays in accessing psychological services, Dáil committee heard.

Children’s services will offer a single point of access across mental health, disability and primary care from June in efforts to reduce delays, the HSE has said.

Officials were before the joint committee on disability matters on Wednesday to discuss reforms and delays with assessment of need systems.

HSE Dublin and South East regional executive officer Martina Queally reiterated previously announced HSE plans and confirmed the June date.

“That integrated working between primary care, disability and Camhs [child and adolescent mental health services] is currently under way and beginning to work,” she said.

There were 25 referral forms across the three services and she said it took "very significant” work to standardise those into one form.

"Our ambition is that it would be live in June this year.” 

Delays in transfer between services have been especially long for children who have autism or ADHD, as well as mental health challenges.

Social Democrats TD for Cork east Liam Quaide and Independent TD for Meath East Gillian Toole raised the long delays in primary care.

Ms Toole said, for example, “in Co Meath, we are dealing with, in psychological services, an approximately nine-year waiting list, other services two to three years". 

Ms Queally said: “I do agree with you, we do have gaps in certain areas. in primary care particularly. that we need to address. 

"There’s no denying that, but we will be in a much stronger position when we align our teams.” 

For assessment of need, she said last year applications rose to 13,186, a 23% increase on 2024 and 56% higher than 2023. 

Some 20,209 applications for assessment remained overdue at year-end.

However, she also said: “A total of 5,939 assessments were completed, a 43% increase supported by the Targeted Waitlist Initiative.” 

As part of reforms, the HSE is introducing a new autism assessment protocol. 

This was expected to roll out from early February but the Irish Examiner reported earlier this week this has been delayed.

Ms Queally acknowledged the delays and said it would roll out “in the coming weeks”. 

This will also work across Camhs, primary care and the children’s disability network teams.

“We are also introducing an electronic system called the community care record,” she said. "This will also help to oversee the assessments of need."