Forde focus on mental health crisis
SUICIDAL and severely distressed children and teenagers across County Wexford have nowhere to go and have been failed by the HSE.
This was the message that went out from councillors who voted unanimously in support of a motion by Cllr Tom Forde for a cross party meeting with the HSE.
Cllr Forde, pictured below, said: ‘In light of the recent resignations of psychiatrists, amid claims that their positions are untenable and unsafe, and claims that Wexford may be left without psychiatric services for children, this Council requests an emergency cross party meeting with the HSE to discuss this as a matter of urgency, as well as the future of mental health services in the South East.’
Mental Health Minister Pat Daly was criticised for failing to acknowledge the depth of the crisis within the county.
Cllr Forde commended Ask mental health campaigner Chris Walsh for organising a meeting on the issue recently.
‘Mental health is a serious issue, particularly with young children who can experience lost childhoods and long lasting issues.’
Cllr Malcolm Byrne seconded the motion and chairman Cllr Keith Doyle said he wrote to the minister about the matter. Cllr David Hynes said a cross party support is needed to tackle the issue, saying it is one of the biggest areas of concern within the county for some time.
Cllr Willie Fitzharris said a cross party meeting was held with the HSE on the matter previously, describing it as a ‘complete waste of time’.
Cllr Fitzharris suggested that medical people should attend the meeting. ‘ These guys (from the HSE) will just sit there stone faced and they don’t give a damn about the reality here in Wexford. We asked about five times concerning how long term patients in the Department of Psychiatry are and we still couldn’t find out. There are, say ten beds, but if they are taken up by long term patients then there is no service.’ Referring to the need for acute mental health beds in Wexford, he said: ‘I think politicians are fobbing us off about the cost involved. We could get away with less beds, even if it’s only a starting point where they can be referred to someone else. There are a lot of practitioners in the private sphere. We have to forget about party politics.’
Cllr Robbie Ireton rejected a suggestion made by a member that Wexford is the worst hit in terms of mental health nationally.
‘Where are the facts about this? The only way we are going to get anywhere is to get the HSE in here and grill them. Some people are homeless as their families don’t know how to deal with them,’ adding that officials are turning a blind eye to them as if they acknowledge the problem they will have to deal with it.
Cllr John Hegarty said he wanted further assurances as to the reason the three psychiatrists were leaving their jobs in County Wexford. Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said: ‘We are failing our children if we don’t intervene. When there are five and six year olds self harming they – will be committing suicide by the time they’re 16 if we don’t do something about this now. At the end of this month we will not have a psychiatrist for the child and adult mental health service.’
Cllr Murphy said a line has been trotted out that only one child has had to wait over a year for a child psychiatrist appointment.
‘Imagine telling that as good news. The news is that they don’t put them on the list until they see an educational psychologist and that could take two and a half years. We have to do something now. We need a psychiatrist in this county.’
Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said he and some councillors met with a former mental health minister Helen McEntee and they were told there is a staffing issue.
‘We were given every reason why things weren’t being done and no plan about what could be done.’
Describing the HSE as a monolith, Cllr Dempsey proposed that a sub committee of councillors be formed to meet with the HSE.
‘I am aware of a young person who attempted suicide due to a body image issue.’
Cllr Ger Carthy said the issue now requires the intervention of the children’s ombudsman.
‘ There is probably a case to be answered in relation to HIQA standards.’
Cllr Forde said the HSE should be held responsible. ‘We are effectively saying the Government can’t govern.’
The motion was unanimously supported and the sub committee was named as Cllr Willie Kavanagh, Cllr Willie Fitzharris, Cllr Ger Carthy, Cllr David Hynes, Cllr Tony Walsh, Cllr Jim Moore and Cllr Robbie Ireton.