HSE apologises for two-year delay in North Kerry children's mental health review
The HSE has apologised for the fact that a review of 300 children in mental health services in North Kerry has taken two years and is still not complete.
The report is only at draft stage, minister of state for mental health Mary Butler told the Oireachtas Health Committee on Wednesday morning.
She also said that 'red flags' identified in children's care have already led to individual open disclosure meetings between families and the HSE.
After the committee, a spokeswoman for HSE Southwest said: 'We sincerely regret that this review process has taken longer than we initially hoped, and we apologise to the young people involved and their families.'
She said it is not yet possible to give a definitive completion date.
'It is important to point out that all individual young people and families have already been told what the review team found in relation to their care,' she said.
'The information was provided in person at individual open disclosure meetings detailing the full clinical details available in relation to the cases involved where necessary.'
The final report will contain recommendations from Dr Colette Halpin and her expert team, as well as relevant clinical information.
The look-back review was set up after the shocking findings from the Maskey Report on CAMHS in South Kerry, which included evidence of 'significant harm' caused to 46 children among the 240 whose care was deemed substandard.
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