A member of the Kerry CAMHS Family Support Group has welcomed plans that an independent regulator will be appointed to oversee community mental health services, including those for children.
The Irish Times reports that the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler are expected to bring proposed legislation to Cabinet this week.
The proposed legislation would mean, if it comes into law, that for the first time, an independent regulator would monitor standards at community mental health centres, including CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
At present, the Mental Health Commission has no power to regulate community services.
In 2022, the independent Maskey review, found that significant harm was caused to 46 children and teenagers who attended South Kerry CAMHS between 2016 and 2020 because of practices including inappropriate prescriptions and over-medication.K
A further 240 children were put at risk of harm, the review found.
A review into care of children attending North Kerry CAMHS was subsequently commissioned – in May, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare said it was not yet complete.
A mother, whose son attended South Kerry CAMHS during the period which was the subject of the Maskey review, said she welcomed the news that an independent regulator will be appointed to oversee the community mental health sector.
The mother, who’s a member of the Kerry CAMHS Family Support Group, said such a regulator would lead to more governance and oversight and allow families to raise concerns with an independent body with real authority.
