Over 200 people took to the streets of Wexford town today to protest against a major lack of provision of mental health services for children and young people in the area.
The protest was organised by 'Wexford Mental Health Warriors', a group largely comprising parents who have had major difficulties in accessing child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for their children.
Nearly one year ago, Child Psychiatric Consultant Dr Kieran Moore resigned from his post in Wexford after 16 years, stating that conditions within the service in Wexford were causing "burn-out" among the staff and that Slaney House where they were based was "completely unfit for purpose".
The Wexford Mental Health Warriors have stated that very little is changed and that while children’s mental health services were to move to a new location at Arden House, this has been consistently delayed, with the latest indications showing that it could be September of this year before the services are rehomed.
Wexford has had no child psychiatric consultant since Dr Moore resigned the position.
Under the Government’s 'Vision for Change' plan for mental health, there should be 11 staff members per population of 50,000.
In Wexford, there are just 5.5 staff per 80,000 population. There are no CAMHS social workers or senior house officers.
Reporting: Padraig Byrne
