More than 200 children who received care from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) in north Kerry were identified as being at potential risk of harm, according to an independent review published Wednesday by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The review, led by consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Colette Halpin, examined the cases of 374 children who were active on the north Kerry Camhs team database in November 2022. It revealed that 209 of those cases – 56 percent – were deemed to be at risk of potential harm. Twelve cases were classified as involving minor potential harm, with families receiving notification letters. Fewer than five cases were considered to present a major risk of harm, and all families affected by moderate or major risk were offered open disclosure meetings, according to the HSE.
The findings highlight significant concerns regarding prescribing practices and the provision of therapeutic interventions within the service. The review found that 79 percent of patients attending mainstream Camhs services in north Kerry were prescribed psychotropic medication, a rate substantially higher than the 39 percent identified in a national HSE audit of prescribing patterns.
Keith Rolls, a Tralee-based solicitor representing over 100 families impacted by the Camhs service, described the report’s conclusions as “very damning” and expressed shock at the scale of the identified risks. He emphasized the erosion of trust between families and the health service due to the protracted timeline of the review’s completion and publication. “Families want the opportunity to join the compensation scheme as was done for the south Kerry Camhs team. They need to be incorporated so they’re not subject to any further distress,” Rolls stated.
The look-back review was initiated following the publication of a separate report concerning Camhs services in south Kerry, which uncovered similar issues. The clinician at the center of the north Kerry review is no longer practicing medicine, according to reports.
Hannah Ní Ghiolla Mhairtín, representing the Families for Reform of Camhs advocacy group, conveyed the heartbreak and anger felt by families affected. “These are not just figures on a page. They are our children. We trusted a system overseen by the Health Service Executive to protect our children. That trust has been deeply shaken,” she said.
Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler acknowledged the report’s identification of “fundamental care deficits,” stating that such deficits had not been observed in other Camhs services nationwide. Butler indicated her intention to extend the existing compensation scheme to families affected by the north Kerry review and confirmed discussions with the Attorney General regarding this matter. She is scheduled to visit Kerry on Thursday and Friday to meet with affected families and members of the regional health forum.
Dr. Amanda Burke, the HSE National Clinical Lead for Child and Youth Mental Health, stated that the report details “the ways in which many young people were failed by the mental health services that were provided to them.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, affirmed the need for “accountability from a clinical perspective” in cases where children experienced harm while under the care of mental health services. He also stated that an extended review of all cases would be undertaken to ensure comprehensive assessment, and that a referral would be made to the Medical Council regarding the issues identified. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Dáil that the “negligent prescribing practices had devastating consequences, which included psychological distress, cognitive impairment considerable weight gain, excess sedation and high blood pressure.”
The HSE has not yet announced a timeline for the completion of the extended review or the implementation of the expanded compensation scheme.
