Kerry children needing mental health assessment being referred to psychiatrist in Doha

HSE says it has not been able to recruit a senior consultant to South Kerry Camhs

A HSE spokesperson said: 'We have not yet been able to recruit into that vacancy not because of a lack of resources or effort, but because there is a worldwide shortage of Camhs consultants.' Picture: iStock

Families needing an assessment in South Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) are still engaging in telemedicine with a psychiatrist in Doha, with the HSE admitting it does not expect to have a permanent consultant in the short term.

A year ago, the full scale of the Camhs crisis in South Kerry emerged around the publication of a review by Dr Sean Maskey, with one clear issue the lack of oversight afforded to those in Camhs because of the absence of a senior consultant.