Children with mental health problems sent to adult wards

CHILDREN with severe mental health problems are being admitted to adult psychiatric wards, due to a lack of age-appropriate facilities.

Concerned parents in Co. Wexford say they are currently in a ‘living hell’, with one doctor resigning in protest, as the county’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) continue to deplete.

A rally calling for more beds has been organised for May 4.

Ray Shannon, a single father, whose 16-year-old son first attempted suicide at 14, says his child is being denied essential treatment.

‘We were actually waiting for an emergency CAMHS appointment to see a psychiatrist and in that time he tried to hang himself. He was taken to Wexford General Hospital as the county has no CAMHS beds.

‘Wexford General is not set up to treat children with mental health problems, so he was transferred to St John of God in Dublin.’

Mr Shannon travelled for more than 90 minutes each way, almost daily, to see his son at the psychiatric hospital, where he was admitted for five weeks.

There has been no full-time psychologist in Wexford since Dr Kieran Moore resigned in July. The county is now serviced by a doctor who travels from Galway two days a week.

Sandra Mulhall says her 16-year-old son’s condition has deteriorated after being kept in an adult facility.

‘I had been trying for a number of years to get help for Adam, and he was brought to the adult psychiatric ward in Waterford twice,’ she said.

‘We had full-time carers, but Adam had an outburst, he tried to stab me and tried to cut his own wrists, so the carers left due to safety concerns.

‘Adam was handcuffed and taken in a van to Waterford Hospital. He was kept there for a month. He went through hell in Waterford.’

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘A CAMHS consultant post has recently been filled in north Wexford and there is currently one post vacant in south Wexford.’