Mental Health Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2023

Thursday, 16 February 2023

Ceisteanna (364)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

364. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health when the Government’s attention was drawn to the concerns raised in the interim report into CAMHS by the Mental Health Commission. [4643/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Mental Health Commission published the Interim Report into CAMHS on 23 January last.  

The Commission notified me and the Department in advance of its intention to publish the Interim Report and, and upon receipt of the report on 5th January, provided 10 working days to consider the report. This is the normal advance notification accorded to the Department for reports by the Commission. As 10 working days would have resulted in publication of the report on a Friday, the Department requested that the report be held to the following Monday, to ensure that patients and their families had access to the helpline set up by the HSE, and that they would be able to contact their GPs or relevant CAMHS teams should they have any concerns. This slight delay was therefore taken in the best interest of service users and their families, and with the full support of the Commission and the HSE.

As I have indicated on several occasions recently, I supported the Commission in carrying out their annual thematic report into CAMHS, including the offer of any additional resources required for this. I welcome the Mental Health Commission’s Interim Report, and I especially welcome the focus around service quality and patient safety.  I await both the Commission’s Final Report on CAMHS and the completion of the audits now underway by the HSE arising from the Maskey report. Together, these reports will provide robust information to support the improvement of crucial services for children and adolescents across the country experiencing mental health difficulties. The HSE has confirmed to the Department of Health that the issues raised in the Mental Health Commission’s Interim Report are being proactively acted on at national level, to mitigate against risk throughout the system as a whole, and beyond the CHOs reviewed to date.