Extra consultant for children’s mental health

AN extra consultant has been appointed in Wicklow to support children’s mental health.

Minister for Health Simon Harris confirmed that an additional CAMHS consultant has been appointed for the Wicklow HSE area.

Minister Harris said: ‘One of the key issues I have been working on since becoming Minister for Health has been the urgent need to increase staffing where it dropped during the moratorium.

‘Child and adolescent Mental Health Services are a vitally important part of our local health service and unfortunately at the moment there is a waiting list to see a Children’s Mental Health consultant. This is a vital stage in a young person’s life and it is really important that they can receive care as soon as possible should they need it.

‘I am delighted to confirm that an additional consultant has now been recruited for our local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

‘I am really pleased to confirm that this new consultant will be in post and start working with young people locally this month. This initiative will ensure that by Q4 2018, the CAMHS waiting time in our community will be halved and eradicated completely in 2019.

‘My priority is driving down waiting times for those who need access to our health services and I am really delighted that this measure will benefit Wicklow young people.’