30 HealtH Matters
and young people experiencing mental health
Key survey findings were: problems. services need to be culturally
• Adolescents from the 15-year-old age sensitive, based on the best available
“services need to be culturally
group are most likely to be attending evidence, and provided by staff equipped with sensitive, based on the best
community CaMHs, followed by the relevant up to date knowledge and skills.
available evidence, and
children aged 10 to 14 years;
• Adolescents aged 16/17 years achieving gOaLs
provided by staff equipped
constitute 11.5 per cent of the to achieve the goals set out in Vision for
with the relevant up to date
caseload, reflecting the practice of Change requires the allocation of significant
keeping on open cases up to their 18th additional resources to CaMHs. systematic
knowledge and skills”
birthday; national and regional planning is necessary,
• The hyper kinetic category (29.1 per working with local networks and structures, 49.7 days than in adult units at 12.1 days.
cent) was the most frequently assigned to provide the trained personnel and In fact, 29 per cent of admissions to adult
primary presentation, followed by the physical infrastructure. the total number units were discharged within two days of
emotional category, which accounted of CaMHs teams increased substantially admission and 55 per cent within one week,
for 26.3 per cent; in the period 1996 to 2006. In 2008 the while 73 per cent of admissions to child and
• The hyper kinetic category peaked recruitment process began for eight new adolescent units were for periods longer than
in the four to nine years age group child and adolescent community mental four weeks.
at 36.2 per cent of cases in this age health teams together with the expansion of Depressive disorders accounted for 26 per
group, dropping to 15.6 per cent inpatient services. It has been estimated that cent of all admissions. eating disorders was
of adolescents in the over 16 years increasing the age range of CaMHs from 16 the next largest diagnostic category at 17 per
category; to 18 years will double the cost of providing cent, followed by neuroses at 15 per cent,
• The emotional category increased with the service. a multidisciplinary Child and schizophrenia and delusional disorders at
age, accounting for 36.6 per cent of adolescent Mental Health service advisory nine per cent, and behavioural and emotional
the over 16 years age group; Group has been established to examine and disorders of childhood and adolescence
• Deliberate Self Harm, which increases address the challenges facing CaMHs as it at five per cent. the diagnosis of mania
with age, accounts for 13 per cent of develops into the future. accounted for five per cent of admissions.
the primary presentations of the over In 2008 the capacity of the Hse child and For CaMHs teams to work effectively, a
16 years age group; adolescent inpatient units (Warrenstown, range of disciplines are required including
• Eating disorders increase with age, Dublin and st. anne’s, Galway) increased to psychiatry, psychology, nursing, social work,
accounting for 6.2 per cent of the a total of 16 beds, operating on a fulltime, speech and language therapy, occupational
primary presentations of the over 16 seven day basis. In 2009 the opening of two therapy and child care, so that children
years age group; new units at st. Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview, and adolescents are offered a care and
• Males represent the majority of primary Dublin and st. stephen’s Hospital, Cork treatment package geared to their individual
presentations apart from Deliberate increased this number to a total of 30 beds. needs. there are more than 420 full time
self Harm (31.7 per cent) and eating Work is progressing on the two new 20 bed staff currently working for the 49 community
Disorders/Problems (19.5 per cent). units at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway and teams. this equates to about 66 per cent
• Some 21.5 per cent of cases were in Bessboro, Cork and both are due to open of the recommended level for these teams
treatment less than 13 weeks, 13.4 in 2010. and there is a significant variation in the
per cent from 13 to 26 weeks, 16.8 In 2008 there were 406 admissions of distribution and disciplinary composition of
per cent of cases were in treatment children and adolescents up to the age of 18 the workforce across teams and regions.
from 26 to 52 weeks and 48.3 per cent years to inpatient units. Females accounted the CaMHs annual report, available on
greater than one year. for 58 per cent of admissions. Of those
www.hse.ie, provides the first comprehensive
surveyed, 43 per cent of all admissions survey carried out on community CaMHs
For those experiencing mental health were aged 17 years on admission, 28 per teams and includes preliminary data collected
problems, good outcomes are most likely cent were aged 16 years, and 29 per cent by the Health research Board on the
if the child or adolescent and their family or were aged 15 years or younger. Of the 406 admission of young people under the age of
carer have access to timely, well coordinated admissions, 263 (65 per cent) were to adult 18 years to inpatient mental health facilities.
advice, assessment and evidence-based inpatient units and 143 (35 per cent) to child the report provides a baseline foundation that
treatment. specialist CaMHs teams work and adolescent units. some 27 admissions of will be built upon in subsequent years. the
directly with children and adolescents to young people aged less than 16 years were next report will include day hospital, liaison
provide treatment and care for those with to adult units. and inpatient services. subsequent reports
the most severe and complex problems and the average length of stay was significantly will further extend the mapping of mental
with other services engaged with children longer in the child and adolescent units, at health services for young people.
health matters is 4.indd 30 27/11/2009 20:38:09
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