Vol. 479 No. 2
79 Dr. Moffatt asked the Minister for Health whether he will allow private units to tender for services for adolescents with eating disorders with the various health boards in view of the fact that there are insufficient therapy units for this problem. [12488/97]
Limerick East): Services for children and adolescents, including services for eating disorders, are generally provided by child and adolescent phychiatric services in child and family centres. A family-centred approach is adopted and the majority of cases are dealt with on a non-residential basis. Residential care, where required, may be provided at a residential facility for children and young people, at a paediatric department of a general hospital, at a phychiatric unit of a general hospital or at a psychiatric hospital.
In recent years there has been significant expansion in child and adolescent psychiatric services in each health board with additional recruitment of child psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. I regard the child and adolescent psychiatric services as one of the priority areas for development and in this regard my Department is currently in the process of formulating a policy for the further development of the service which will include an identification of areas of particular need.
