Serious ‘issues of concern’ raised in North Kerry CAMHS review

The report of the North Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Lookback Review published today, raised “serious issues of concern” according to the Department of Health.

According to a statement from the Department, the review involved the examination of all clinical files (374) of children and young people attending the North Kerry CAMHS on 21 November 2022. Of the 374 files reviewed, the potential for harm was identified in 209 files, of which 197 met the threshold for open disclosure. All 197 children, young people, and their families, have been contacted by the HSE, offered open disclosure meetings, and provided with the supports of a clinical liaison team to meet their needs.

“My priority today, as it has been since I initiated this Lookback Review in 2022, is the children, young people and their families,” said Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler.

“Today will be a difficult day for them, as they will be looking for answers to questions they have had for a number of years.”

She said that the families received the report earlier today “and I briefed Government colleagues on the report at the Cabinet meeting this afternoon, including the apology from the HSE for the harm caused to these children and young people.”

The report “raises serious issues of concern which have been considered by the Minister”, according to the Department of Health. The issues have also been considered by the Department itself and the HSE, at a regional and national level.

HSE South West accepts all of the recommendations in the report and has, in conjunction with the HSE National Child and Youth Mental Health Office (CYMHO) “ensured they are already being implemented across services in North Kerry. Minister Butler is satisfied that all immediate concerns raised within the report have been addressed as a matter of priority,” the Department said in a statement.

Prof Matthew Sadlier, Vice-President of the IMO and Chair of its Consultants’ Committee, who is also a consultant psychiatrist, said today that “mere apologies” to the victims and their families were not sufficient, and that root and branch reform of the services were needed as an urgent priority.

“At the heart of this issue are poor governance and under-resourcing of mental health services – none of the teams in north Kerry was staffed at appropriate levels, denying patients the high-quality standard of care they needed. The system is set up to fail as geographically isolated community-based services have always had difficulties with staff recruitment and retention which leads to poor outcomes for patients.”

Speaking today Minister Butler added, “I am seriously concerned that such a significant shortfall in standards in the North Kerry CAMH service constituted a risk of harm to children, However, I am satisfied that throughout the review process, and with the findings and recommendations from the South Kerry review, HSE South West has taken the necessary steps to address the deficits in care experienced by children and young people as highlighted in this report and in the Maskey review.”

“I am also assured that the necessary safeguards have been put in place to ensure that similar risks do not happen again. Throughout the Lookback process all young people and families have had access to on-going support, including the open disclosure helpline and a Clinical Liaison Support Team. My absolute objective in completing and publishing this review was to keep the best interests of young people and their families to the fore.”