Concerns raised on queuing ‘in public’ for psychiatric services

The Health Service Executive has moved to clarify its queuing system, after concerns were raised about vulnerable teenagers’ privacy while waiting to be seen by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Chief Officer, Community Healthcare West, Breda Crehan-Roche, has clarified that children and teenagers attending appointments at CAMHS in Merlin Park are not asked to queue outside the building.

The current procedure, she said, was to “stay in their cars when they arrive at the car park for their appointments and then phone into reception to say they have arrived, then they are called back to come in directly for the appointment”.

Ms Crehan-Roche was responding to a Parliamentary Question submitted to the Minister for Health by Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State for Disability.

Minister Rabbitte, a Galway East Fianna Fáil TD, sought clarity about the CAMHS queuing system, after a member of the public highlighted seeing three adolescents waiting outside the door of CAMHS.

“I’d have genuine worries about a system that requires presumably vulnerable young people to queue for appointments in full view of anybody and everybody who walks or drives through the grounds . . . There surely must be a more discreet way of doing it?” Minister Rabbitte’s concerned constituent said.

Minister Rabbitte had asked Health Minister Stephen Donnelly if a temporary structure could be put in place to help facilitate socially distanced queuing that is less exposed at the CAMHS unit.