I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. Officials in my Department sought an update from the HSE in relation to the specifics of the question that has been raised. The HSE has advised that four CAMHS teams are shared across the Meath and Louth area to address the population demands of County Meath, as well as the catchment area served by the team in Drogheda. These teams are based in Navan, Ashbourne, south Louth, east Meath and Trim.
As part of the multidisciplinary make-up of each CAMHS team, each of the four teams is funded for and holds a senior psychology post. I often speak of the CAMHS multidisciplinary teams, which include consultant psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and the whole way down to occupational therapists, OTs, clinical nurse specialists, social workers, etc.
To respond to the specific question, of these four posts, a senior psychologist is currently in place and working in the Navan team. Of the two further teams, two posts are vacant but I need to say again that they are funded. One post-holder is currently on sick leave so it does leave a situation where instead of having four psychologists working across four teams, there is currently only one person in post due to two vacancies and one person on sick leave. Data made available to my Department indicates that within the Navan team from 2021 to date in 2024, there have been fewer than ten children who have had to wait to be seen by a psychologist at any given time. That is the importance of the multidisciplinary team. In addition, there have been fewer than five children waiting more than one month from receipt of an internal CAMHS psychology referral to be seen in Meath.
The HSE have confirmed that there are currently 305 children and young people on the waiting list to access CAMHS in the Meath area, across all four teams. In the Meath area, since 2020 to date in 2024, routine appointments for CAMHS have been seen within four to 13 weeks. I will come back in the next slot.
