Bambini a rischio di assumere farmaci non necessari a causa dei ritardi di un anno per gli esperti di salute mentale
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/children-at-risk-of-taking-unnecessary-medication-amid-year-long-delays-for-mental-health-experts/a1739348559.html
di PoppedCork
3 commenti
Most CAMHS teams are missing the 12-week target for routine child mental health appointments.
Delays exceed one year in six regions; national average is ~67%.
Over 10,600 children are waiting, with staffing shortages a key cause.
Psychiatrists warn delays pressure GPs to prescribe without specialist assessment.
HSE plans reforms, but demand continues to rise sharply.
We already know Ireland has serious over prescription problems. Year long CAMHS delays just push more pressure onto GPs to medicate kids without proper specialist assessment. That’s bad for children, families, and trust in the system. Fix access first, not just add more drugs.
[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/findings-of-south-kerry-camhs-review-shocking-very-serious-and-unacceptable-taoiseach-says-1.4785707](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/findings-of-south-kerry-camhs-review-shocking-very-serious-and-unacceptable-taoiseach-says-1.4785707)
Is there a single state function in this country apart from Revenue that actually works like it’s supposed to?
“Ireland’s mental health budget remains significantly underfunded, hovering around 5.8% to under 6% of the total health budget in recent years (2024/2025), despite record funding amounts, falling short of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 12%, Sláintecare target of 10%, and comparable spending in countries like the UK. While funding levels are increasing (e.g., €1.6 billion for 2026), the percentage of the overall health budget hasn’t significantly risen due to overall growth in health spending.
Key Figures & Context:
Current Percentage: Less than 6% of the total health budget, stagnating around this figure for several years.
Recent Funding: Reached €1.5 billion for Budget 2025 and €1.6 billion for Budget 2026, the highest ever.
Sláintecare Target: Aims for 10% of the health budget for mental health.
WHO Recommendation: Recommends 12%.
Challenges: Demand for services is high, particularly for youth mental health (CAMHS), and current investment levels are seen as inadequate to meet needs.”
The government can’t talk about mental health as a priority from now until eternity, but until they’re willing to fund it, the services will be lacking.