North Kerry CAMHS review to be expanded

A review led by adolescent psychiatrist Dr Colette Halpin last month found two children were at major risk, 195 cases involved moderate risk, and 12 children faced minor risk.

HSE Southwest is now expanding its review of children’s mental health services in north Kerry to cover all children seen before November 2022.

A review of 374 cases published last month found that more than half of those children faced risks of varying levels. Led by adolescent psychiatrist Dr Colette Halpin, it found two children were at major risk, 195 cases involved moderate risk, and 12 children faced minor risk.

At the time, the Irish Examiner highlighted calls for that lookback review to be extended further in the north Kerry child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) as well as south Kerry.

On Thursday, HSE South West said it is “commissioning a comprehensive clinically-led further file review covering the period during which it had governance of CAMHS in North Kerry".

It added that this extends to all cases open to the service up to November 21, 2022. The HSE confirmed the review will start from 2014, when it first took over the CAMHS team in north Kerry.

It is not yet clear how many children might be involved.

The HSE advised the review will be “directed specifically on areas where the potential for harm is deemed greatest in the first instance".

It will focus on children/young people with a diagnosis of mental health and intellectual disability, children/young people prescribed neuroleptic (antipsychotic) medication, as well as children or young people receiving high-dose psychotropic medication. 

It will also review cases of children or young people where there is evidence of polypharmacy, meaning taking multiple medications.

Patients will be represented on a serious incident management team. This oversees the review, and independent clinicians will carry it out.

Any child whose file is a priority for review will be contacted by HSE South West. Other people with concerns can request to have their file reviewed.

Meanwhile, minister of state for mental health Mary Butler has on Thursday also announced a compensation scheme for children affected by the risks fund by Ms Halpin.

"I am pleased to confirm I have approved the extension of the existing non-adversarial scheme to provide for young people and families impacted by deficits in care in North Kerry," she said. 

“The scheme for young people and families in South Kerry arising from the Maskey Report has worked well, and families have told me they appreciated the non-adversarial approach.” 

The Maskey Report found that care for 240 children and teenagers in South Kerry did not meet standards.

The Kerry CAMHS Information Line remains open 1800 700 700 or 01 240 87 87 Monday to Saturday.