Youth mental health lead says ‘clearly there was a failure of oversight’ in North Kerry Camhs
This comes as a review published on Wednesday found that the level of care given to children was “inconsistent with standard practice”.
The national clinical lead for youth mental health has issued an apology on behalf of the HSE to families impacted by failures in Camhs services in North Kerry.
The apology follows a review published on Wednesday which found that the level of care provided to children was “inconsistent with standard practice”.
National clinical lead for youth mental health Dr Amanda Burke apologised this morning, saying she was “really sorry”.
Dr Burke said the standard of care had been "not what anyone should ever have experienced".
She said the HSE is committed to a significant programme of change, including increased oversight and accountability.
“Clearly there was a failure of oversight,” she said.
Once the failures were identified, the HSE moved to ensure greater oversight and patient safety within the Camhs service. The standard of care was not acceptable.
“It is difficult to understand how this happened,” Dr Burke said.
She said staff did not follow processes through. Recruitment and retention remain a significant challenge, not just in Ireland but internationally, particularly in rural areas.
Dr Burke said there is no full-time consultant in North Kerry at present, although a report said there should be four. However, she said arrangements are in place with “more than four” consultants to provide services.
An audit system is now in place to ensure that what happened before does not happen again, she added. There is also now a “robust clinical governance structure” in place.
Families or patients whose cases were not included in the recent review can request their case file and ask for it to be reviewed, she said.
Dr Burke said the report made 61 recommendations which the HSE intends to implement. The HSE must acknowledge the failings and put in place a robust system to address deficiencies and ensure accountability.
Meanwhile, the Mental Health Reform Commission’s policy and research manager, Dr Louise Rooney, told RTÉ’s that the report into Camhs services in Kerry was shocking and highlighted challenges facing the mental health system.
She said parents deserve to feel confident in the service they are accessing.
Dr Rooney said the Mental Health Reform Commission is calling for three changes: first, the appointment of a mental health lead in the HSE; second, inclusion of the statutory right to independent advocacy in the new Mental Health Bill currently being debated in the Seanad; and third, an independent complaints mechanism.
There had previously been a mental health lead in the HSE, she said. The service needs stronger oversight and greater accountability.
The statutory right to independent advocacy is important, she said, as at present parents are not being informed of the side effects of medications prescribed to their children and children feel “they were not being listened to.”
On the need for an independent complaints mechanism, she said the current system is not independent. People are effectively complaining about the HSE to the HSE. Complaints also need to be examined in a robust manner, she added.
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