Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 April 2023
156. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he or the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People is aware of any issues that have been escalated by the Mental Health Commission from its current audits into CAMHS, to the HSE; if so, the nature of these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19620/23]
View answerThe principal functions of the Mental Health Commission are to promote, encourage, and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to take all reasonable steps to protect the interests of persons detained in approved centres under the Mental Health Act 2001.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Mental Health Commission are undertaking an audit of all 73 CAMHS teams nationally. An Interim Report was published by the Commission on 23 January last covering 5 of the 9 CHOs. The Government and the HSE accepted the findings and recommendations of this Interim Report and has progressed consequent actions as appropriate.
As the Mental Health Commission is an independent body, and in light of the fact that the Commission has not completed its Final Report, the specific issues raised by the Deputy are in the first instance matters for consideration to be addressed as appropriate between the Commission and the HSE, prior to publication of the MHC Final Report. I look forward to receiving this report in due course.
