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Cllr Norma Moriarty.
A FIANNA Fáil General Election candidate has described as shameful, the fact that more than 1,200 children are waiting for a psychology appointment in the Kerry and Cork HSE region.
Figures released to Fianna Fáil reveal a total of 1,262 children in the HSE CHO4 area on the list for psychology treatment.
Cllr Norma Moriarty said; “Worryingly, 527 of these children have been waiting for treatment for over 12 months. Unfortunately long waiting lists have become a common feature of our struggling health system, particularly in relation to mental health services. Fine Gael’s utter failure to get to grips with improved service provision, despite successive budget increases is scandalous.
“The impact of these lengthy waits will not only have a detrimental impact on outcomes, they are the source of immense stress and anxiety for the children and the families concerned.
“As a teacher myself, I am deeply concerned that these long delays will have a severely negative impact on a child’s progress and development in school, thereby exacerbating the challenges they are facing.
“This data is yet another illustration of the persistent crisis in the provision of mental health services for children. While it is not uncommon in today’s health services for children to be left on a waiting list to be on it for more than a year, this does not make it right. Early intervention is critical when dealing with susceptible children and teenagers. The government and the HSE have an obligation to do better by these children,” said Cllr Moriarty.
