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Irish Examiner
09-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Human rights body to inspect planned mental health facility in Cork for UN convention breaches
The Human Rights and Equality Commission is to examine a proposed residential mental health facility in Cork amid claims that it will amount to a "far-reaching, permanent breach" of a UN convention. Serious concerns have been raised around plans to locate a 50-bed long-stay residential mental health unit for people with severe and long-term mental illness on an isolated site, which has no footpath access or services nearby. Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide said plans for the €64m unit at St Stephen's Hospital at Sarsfield's Court, Glanmire, represent a "complete reversal" of a move towards keeping people in their own communities. "This makes no sense. The only sense it makes is financial sense for the HSE to centralise a lot of its staffing costs into one area in a site that they own themselves. But it's very much against the interests of the residents who will be there into the future," Mr Quaide told an Oireachtas committee. "There's no footpath even connecting St Stephen's Hospital to the nearest service station, which is 1.7 kilometres away. The nearest retail centre is three kilometres away in Riverstown, there's no footpath for the first kilometre of that. "There's no community amenities within walking distance of St Stephen's. There's no plans to develop any and the cohort of service users who would become residents there, many would have mobility issues, most or all would not drive," Mr Quaid, who worked as a senior clinical psychologist, said. In 2023, Cork County Council wrote to the HSE after councillors unanimously backed a call to oppose the plans to build the unit at St Stephen's Hospital. Mr Quaide said he had repeatedly raised the issue both as a councillor and now as a TD, but it "feels like an unstoppable process" as he claimed "the agency is intent on pushing ahead with this". "I feel very strongly about it because I worked in the mental health services in Cork as a psychologist, and I've seen the benefits of the same services in Cork adhering to our national mental health policies over the years, by facilitating the re-integration of long-stay patients of institutional facilities back into their communities." The Cork East TD put it to Irish Human Rights and Equality chief commissioner Liam Herrick, who was appearing before the disabilities committee, that the development would result in "a blatant breach" of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Mr Quaide: It will be a far-reaching, permanent breach, because the proposal is for a centralised residential mental health service that will detach people from their community of origin, and in fact, from any setting that vaguely represents community living. While acknowledging he did not have full details of the case, Mr Herrick said the information outlined by the TD appeared to "engage" with the protections provided for in the UN Convention as well as "other rights and equality standards". Mr Herrick said: "We have a wide range of statutory functions and powers. I'd be happy to engage with you further, maybe learn more about the instance, and then we can explore if any of our powers or functions may be relevant in the area. "But on the face of it, I can say that the situation you outline does engage with those issues [contained in the UN Charter], and we'd be happy to consider further." Mr Quaide said there is no issue with the site as a location for a new elective hospital and acute inpatient mental health admissions, as is also planned, because those admissions are generally short term. Read More Mental health services short more than 800 beds, report reveals
Dublin Live
09-07-2025
- Health
- Dublin Live
Dublin child waiting 13 years for psychological service, figures show
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Dublin child has been on a waiting list for psychological care for 13 and a half years, according to new figures. The Social Democrats are calling on the Government to commit to a comprehensive recruitment drive to 'tackle the crisis in primary care services for young people'. Liam Quaide, the party's spokesman on mental health and disability, said HSE figures released to him through a parliamentary question reveal the 'abject state' of such services across the country. The figures, seen by the PA news agency, list the longest wait for psychology for a young person as 706 weeks in Dublin North-West, the equivalent of 13.5 years. In Galway, the longest wait is 500 weeks, or more than 9.5 years. The longest wait for occupational therapy is 502 weeks in Dublin North, while in Meath the figure is 452 weeks. The longest wait for physiotherapy is 369 weeks in North Lee, Cork. For speech and language therapy, the longest wait is 313 weeks in Dublin North-West. Mr Quaide also said the number of young people waiting for primary care psychology services in Cork/Kerry has risen from 5,000 to 6,500 in the past year. He was also critical of the initial approach taken by the HSE to provide data on children waiting more than one year, which obscured the extent of the delays experienced by some children. 'It's worth noting that I had considerable difficulty obtaining these figures from the HSE, who were originally only providing me with a category of '+52 weeks' for young people waiting anywhere between one and 13 years for an appointment. 'One of the main purposes of primary care is to intervene early, before difficulties become entrenched and the young person might need either the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or a Children's Disability Network Team (CDNT). Primary care services have been hamstrung by the HSE's current recruitment policy known as the 'Pay and Numbers Strategy', as well as the official recruitment embargo before that. ' The figures also show that 8,829 children have been waiting for more than two years for psychology services. Mr Quaide said postprimary care child and adolescent services around the country are 'now in deep crisis', with waiting lists 'out of control and staff morale on the floor'. He said: 'They have also been placed under immense pressure by the Progressing Disabilities model of service, which saw the re-direction of thousands of young people from CDNTs into primary care. At no stage has the HSE attempted to recruit sufficient staff in primary care services to address the additional level of need. 'This has left families languishing on one waiting list after another, passed around from service to service with little to no support.' The HSE has been contacted for comment. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Extra.ie
09-07-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Waiting lists 'out of control' as child will be waiting 13 years for care
Children are waiting 'unacceptable' lengths of time for mental health care, with one expected to wait 13 years, damning new HSE figures show. A young person in the Dublin northwest region has a 706-week wait – the equivalent of 13.5 years. In Galway, the longest wait is 500 weeks or more than 9.5 years. As of May this year, over 12,000 children and teenagers are waiting more than a year for psychological treatment. Liam Quaide TD, the Social Democrats' spokesman on mental health, said the HSE figures released to him through a parliamentary question reveal the 'abject state' of child mental health services across the country. Children are waiting 'unacceptable' lengths of time for mental health care, with one expected to wait 13 years, damning new HSE figures show. Pic: Getty Images He said post-primary care child and adolescent services around the country are 'now in deep crisis', with waiting lists 'out of control and staff morale on the floor'. ' 'This has left families languishing on one waiting list after another, passed around from service to service with little to no support,' Mr Quaide added. A HSE spokeswoman acknowledged last night that the rate of referral, 'remains a challenge' for the health service. Mr Quaide said the number of young people waiting for primary care psychology services in Cork/ Kerry has risen from 5,000 to 6,500 in the past year. Pic: Sam Boal/ He was also critical of the initial approach taken by the HSE to provide data on children waiting more than one year, which obscured the extent of the delays experienced by some children. He said: 'It's worth noting that I had considerable difficulty obtaining these figures from the HSE, who were originally only providing me with a category of '+52 weeks' for young people waiting anywhere between one and 13 years for an appointment. 'One of the main purposes of primary care is to intervene early before difficulties become entrenched, and the young person might need either the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or a Children's Disability Network Team. Pic: Getty Images 'Primary care services have been hamstrung by the HSE's current recruitment policy known as the 'Pay and Numbers Strategy', as well as the official recruitment embargo before that.' The figures also show that 8,829 children have been waiting for more than two years for psychology services. Mr Quaide added: 'At no stage has the HSE attempted to recruit sufficient staff in primary care services to address the additional level of need. Rory Hearne, a Social Democrat TD who represents the Dublin North-West constituency, said: 'I've been contacted by many parents of children in my constituency who have been on unacceptably long waiting lists for primary care. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos 'I cannot understand the current position of the Government; all evidence supports early intervention as key for transformative outcomes.' He said that the problem extends across a wide range of services, not just mental health. Mr Hearne added: 'For example one parent contacted me whose child had speech difficulties. 'They had to pay privately for speech and language, and in his short six years, they have had five therapists. Three of those went to Australia. To deny a child the right to learn to communicate effectively at a time when they will benefit the most is unacceptable. 'They did subsequently get a small amount of public therapy, and their son took a huge step forward under her guidance, but it was too short.' He said that he had been told by one family that the lack of incentive and professional wellness to support these professionals at any level was 'beyond disappointing'. It is the parents' belief, he said, that the handful we are training are 'clearly valued more abroad'. The TD said that a 'significant issue' locally was housing and childcare for psychologists, alongside retention and recruitment. He also said there is a 'huge' problem with understaffing. The longest wait for occupational therapy is 502 weeks (over 9.5 years) in Dublin North. The longest wait for physiotherapy is 369 weeks (over seven years) in North Lee, Cork. For speech and language therapy, the longest wait is 313 weeks (over six years) in Dublin, North-West. A HSE spokeswoman said: 'Children's services by their nature are more complex in presentation and require more attendance compared to services for adults. The HSE recognises the need to address waiting lists, and this is reflected in our commitment to developing the provision of Community Services through the newly established Health Regions, in line with Sláintecare. 'This involves a significant restructuring in how services are delivered to ensure integrated care is provided equitably and efficiently for those who need it. It should be noted that when children transfer from specialist disability services to primary care, waiting time is calculated from the date of the original referral.' In 2023, the rate of referral for therapy services grew by 7% and increased by a further 1% in 2024. The spokeswoman said: 'The increased referral rate is particularly notable in physiotherapy, psychology and audiology.' The HSE did not address the up to 13.5-year waiting list for some children for psychology services.
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Dublin child waiting 13 years for psychological service, figures show
A child has been on a waiting list for psychological care for 13.5 years, according to new figures. The Social Democrats party is calling on the Government to commit to a comprehensive recruitment drive to "tackle the crisis in primary care services for young people". Liam Quaide, the party's spokesman on mental health and disability, said HSE figures released to him through a parliamentary question reveal the "abject state" of such services across the country. The figures, seen by the PA news agency, lists the longest wait for psychology for a young person as 706 weeks in Dublin North-West, the equivalent of 13.5 years. In Galway, the longest wait is 500 weeks, or more than 9.5 years. The longest wait for occupational therapy is 502 weeks in Dublin North, while in Meath the figure is 452 weeks. The longest wait for physiotherapy is 369 weeks in North Lee, Cork. For speech and language therapy, the longest wait is 313 weeks in Dublin North-West. Mr Quaide also said the number of young people waiting for primary care psychology services in Cork/Kerry has risen from 5,000 to 6,500 in the past year. He was also critical of the initial approach taken by the HSE to provide data on children waiting more than one year, which obscured the extent of the delays experienced by some children. "It's worth noting that I had considerable difficulty obtaining these figures from the HSE, who were originally only providing me with a category of '+52 weeks' for young people waiting anywhere between one and 13 years for an appointment. "One of the main purposes of primary care is to intervene early, before difficulties become entrenched and the young person might need either the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or a Children's Disability Network Team (CDNT). "Primary care services have been hamstrung by the HSE's current recruitment policy known as the 'Pay and Numbers Strategy', as well as the official recruitment embargo before that." The figures also show that 8,829 children have been waiting for more than two years for psychology services. Mr Quaide said post-primary care child and adolescent services around the country are "now in deep crisis", with waiting lists "out of control and staff morale on the floor". He said: "They have also been placed under immense pressure by the Progressing Disabilities model of service, which saw the re-direction of thousands of young people from CDNTs into primary care. "At no stage has the HSE attempted to recruit sufficient staff in primary care services to address the additional level of need. "This has left families languishing on one waiting list after another, passed around from service to service with little to no support." The HSE has been contacted for comment.
Irish Examiner
07-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Children waiting up to 13 years for primary care assessment
Children have been waiting as long as 13 years for a primary care assessment within the HSE, as new figures throw a spotlight on just how long waiting lists can go. Previously, the HSE had bracketed all children who had been waiting for longer than one or two years into one overall cohort when detailing the length of time that they were waiting. The new figures, delivered to Social Democrats TD for East Cork Liam Quaide in response to parliamentary questions, show that close to 19,000 children aged up to 17 have been waiting for longer than two years for an initial psychology, occupational therapy (OT), or physiotherapy assessment. For the first time clarity is given as to just how long waiting lists in some parts of the country have extended to, including: A child waiting 13.6 years for a psychology appointment in Dublin North West A patient waiting 9.7 years for an occupational therapy assessment in Dublin North A wait of 8.7 years for an OT assessment in Meath The figures show that of the four disciplines in question psychology is the worst affected. Mr Quaide, a clinical psychologist, said that the crisis in primary care services has 'flown almost entirely under the radar', in contrast with the scrutiny applied to similar issues seen with the HSE's network of Children's Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). 'The core of this crisis is a failure by successive governments to invest in staff over many years. It stems from a political ideology that views the staffing of our essential services purely as a cost, not as an investment,' he said. The HSE said it "recognises the need to address waiting lists, and this is reflected in our commitment to developing the provision of community services through the newly established Health Regions, in line with Sláintecare". A spokesperson said: "This involves a significant restructuring in how services are delivered to ensure that integrated care is provided equitably and efficiently for those who need it. "In 2023, the rate of referral for therapy services grew by 7% nationally, and increased by a further 1% in 2024. The increased referral rate is particularly notable in physiotherapy, psychology and audiology. "Numbers seen in 2024 are comparable with 2023, however, the rate of referral, remains a challenge Children's services by their nature are more complex in presentation and require more attendance compared to services for adults. "It should be noted that when children transfer from specialist disability services to primary care, waiting time is calculated from the date of the original referral. Read More
