Over half of the children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are refused access in certain parts of the country.
An analysis by the Irish Independent shows around 4,000 of the referrals to CAMHS last year were not accepted by the HSE, with the refusal figure increasing by 10 per cent in the past 3 years.
It’s also points towards a so called ‘postcode lottery’, with the number not being accepted varying dramatically depending on where they live.
In the CHO1 area which includes Donegal, over 30% of those referred to CAMHS have been refused access this year. That figure has grown year on year from just under 20% in 2020.
