Children with ADHD in Cork and Kerry waiting 'more than two years' for assessment

New hub to open in Ballincollig to tackle backlog

The HSE said the hub would focus on children waiting longest, saying: 'The initial priority will be to see those children waiting more than two years.'

Up to 120 children with ADHD in Cork and Kerry have been waiting “more than two years” for assessment, as this month sees a new hub open in an effort to tackle these delays.

Pressures on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), which treats ADHD as well as children in crisis with severe mental illness are contributing to the delays. 

The Mental Health Commission recently reported children with suspected ADHD wait longer in Cork/Kerry than with other potential diagnoses and account for the majority of waiters.

Head of Mental Health Services at Cork Kerry Community Healthcare Julie O'Neill agreed, saying “many” waiting children potentially have ADHD.

“Families told us that they would prefer to have their child assessed and know how to help them, rather than sit on long waiting lists,” she said.

ADHD assessment hub

"So we sought funding to develop an ADHD assessment hub that would be available to all 10 of the Camhs teams in Cork and Kerry. The hub is intended to support 120 children over a six-month period.” 

The hub will be in Ballincollig and staffed by a consultant, NCHDs (non-consultant hospital doctors) and specialist nurses.

“It will work very closely with the Camhs teams and will support children and families until they have stabilised on their medication, or their discharge, whichever is soonest,” she said.

The HSE said the hub would focus on children waiting longest, saying: “The initial priority will be to see those children waiting more than two years."

It is contacting families, and anyone who chooses not to attend can remain on their local list. 

Referring to a critical report by Dr Sean Maskey on Camhs in South Kerry, the HSE said: “At no time in the last 18 months has funding been a barrier to the roll-out of the Maskey recommendations.” 

Ken Kilbride, chief executive of ADHD Ireland warned: “We are facing a tsunami in terms of ADHD, the lists are not getting any shorter."

He said: “What you find, and this is around the country not just in Cork, Camhs operate based on priority. So there can be a wait list for emergency cases, the clinicians are busy so there is another list for less-urgent cases — children waiting for ADHD assessment.” 

He said of the hub: “It’s great, it’s additional support and treatment for children which is great. But we do need to take it that step further.” 

Mr Kilbride, a member of the National Oversight Group for Camhs, added: “You will find from the Mental Health Commission reports that the children waiting over a year plus around the country will be for ADHD assessments.” 

He warned too of a “hidden crisis” in adult ADHD diagnosis. There are just four clinics assessing this, including in Cork and Limerick.

“People in the HSE have said to me that community mental health services, so where you get referred to by a GP if they think you have ADHD, [are] seeing in some places up to 30% of all new referrals are for ADHD assessment,” he said.