The CAMHS service in west Cork is now in a state of crisis. The entire service is operation with just one psychiatrist and there is no psychologist. There is no mental health nurse, no social worker and no therapist on the team. These roles are essential to any functioning CAMHS service. For years, the HSE has claimed to be recruiting. Yet, no staff have ever been appointed. The situation now is so serious that the sole psychiatrist, who is due to retire in the coming years, may retire early due to the overwhelming pressure. That would leave no CAMHS service at all in west Cork. Recently, a GP urgently referred a 14-year-old experiencing suicidal thoughts, only to be told that the psychiatrist already had 17 emergency cases ahead of them with no timeframe for assessment. What immediate actions will the Government take to stabilise CAMHS in west Cork, ensure urgent recruitment across all professional roles and guarantee that vulnerable children are not left without any mental health services?

Sentiment score: -0.30