CAMHS North Kerry Harm to Children

An independent report commissioned by the Republic of Ireland===Health Service Executive (HSE) has revealed 'absolutely unacceptable' harm caused to children accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in North Kerry, Republic of Ireland. The report, following concerns raised by the 2022 Maskey Review into South Kerry CAMHS, detailed serious deficiencies in care, a lack of oversight, and negligent over-prescription of medications. These practices led to devastating consequences for vulnerable children, including psychological distress, cognitive impairment, and physical health issues. Republic of Ireland===Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald brought these findings to the Dáil, sharing harrowing accounts from affected families. Taoiseach Micheál Martin condemned the harm, stating that the 'first principle of medicine is: do no harm,' and confirmed a referral of the issues to the Medical Council. The HSE has issued apologies to over half of the families whose files were examined and established a serious incident team to address the situation. A national audit has not identified similar widespread prescribing concerns outside of Kerry.