A consultant psychiatrist is providing mental healthcare to children and young people in Co Kerry from the Middle East through online appointments due to difficulties recruiting permanent staff, politicians have heard.
HSE and Department of Health representatives appeared before the Oireachtas health committee on Wednesday to provide an update on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs) following a recent report on the service in north Kerry.
The report, known as the Halpin report, found 209 children being treated by the mental health services in the area in 2022 were at risk of potential harm, with concerns raised around high rates of prescribing.
One issue highlighted by the HSE following the publication of the report was the lack of permanent psychiatrists in place in the service due to recruitment and retention difficulties.
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Julie O’Neill, integrated healthcare area manager in Kerry, said north Kerry has two whole-time equivalent staff and south Kerry has 1.7, but this coverage is provided by seven consultants, none of whom are permanent employees.
O’Neill said the services were provided through a mixture of in-person appointments and telemedicine, but about 60 per cent of the consultants were never on site.
Independent Senator Tom Clonan said one psychiatrist is providing telemedicine appointments from the “Middle East, the Gulf states”.
The comment was not disputed by the HSE representatives, who confirmed telemedicine was “filling in some of the gaps” due to difficulties in recruiting for the Kerry service.
Dr Amanda Burke, national clinical lead for child and youth mental health, said she did not believe telemedicine sessions were as effective as in-person appointments.
She said “unfortunately it’s very difficult” to get a fully-qualified, psychiatrist specialised in child and adolescent mental health.
“Telemedicine is an acceptable alternative but it’s not as good. Young people have told us they find it more difficult to engage,” she said.
“Aggressive recruitment has taken place. A candidate has been identified and been offered the post. But consultant psychiatrist recruitment is very difficult.”
Dr Andy Phillips, regional executive officer at HSE South West, said the area has “some of the longest waiting lists and waiting times”.
“That’s something we’re absolutely determined to resolve. We have some very hardworking teams and there’s also a need to improve productivity in some teams,” he said, adding that the “big deficit” is in consultant psychiatrists.
On behalf of the HSE, Burke reiterated an apology to the young people who were “failed by the mental health services that were provided to them”.
“Building on these historical failures, the [north Kerry] look-back review makes a number of critical recommendations,” she said.
“Importantly, these recommendations relate to issues already identified in the previous reports, which are now being addressed through the implementation of the child and youth mental health action plan.”
