Local mental health case
Deputy Tully described a serious local mental health case involving a 19-year-old in a psychiatric ward and concerns about discharge. The Minister of State said she could not discuss the individual case publicly but would look into it if details were provided.
I wish to raise very serious concerns about mental health services in my locality. A young man aged 19 is currently in a psychiatric ward in a public hospital because he wants help and his family wants help for him as they no longer feel they can keep him safe. He has attempted suicide twice and has threatened it again. The young man's personality completely changed two years ago. His family want tests done to establish exactly what the issue is. The hospital wants to discharge him. A consultant psychiatrist said to the family that if something happens to him, the family should not come back with a solicitor. His diagnosis from his short time in CAMHS has been dismissed. He is not being given the medication he has been prescribed while in hospital. A home-based support team was promised in February after a suicide attempt, but that never materialised and as a result the man is back on a psychiatric ward just two months later. Properly resourced mental health services are required urgently so that people can get the help they require irrespective of ability to pay. I want this issue raised with the Minister.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. As she knows, I cannot speak to an individual case on the floor of the Dáil, but if she wants to pass on the details, we can certainly have a look at the case. We have 51 inpatient beds across all of CAMHS operational at the moment and there is capacity. There are 19 beds available. I am updated weekly on the capacity we have. We have invested more in youth mental health this year than ever before.