'Two years of my son's life were lost': Alleged failures in care of children in Kerry Camhs
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At just nine years old, Cian had to suffer the cold turkey withdrawal often reserved for hardened drug abusers, suffering sweats, cramps, and sickness due to medication he was allegedly wrongly prescribed at South Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs).
A report is due to be published on Wednesday into allegations that some 1,300 children and teenagers who attended mental health services in South Kerry were prescribed inappropriate medication. It has now emerged cases of allegedly deficient care in North Kerry may also be contained in the report.
Cian, not his real name, is now 10. “Since he’s come off the medication he is a different child. It’s like his personality has been turned up. He is so much more social and interactive,” said his mother Claire, whose name has been changed to protect her son’s right to anonymity.
But more than two years of his young life, and a formative time in her child’s development, have been “lost”, she said.
Cian is just one child who has been impacted by an unfolding controversy over the care of children and adolescents in Camhs in Kerry.
The report to be published on Wednesday is based on an independent, 13-person review led by Seán Maskey, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist from London's Maudsley Hospital. The HSE said Dr Maskey would provide the review with external, independent oversight.
The review was commissioned by the HSE following concerns raised about the treatment of some children and teenagers attending its South Kerry Camhs.
About 50 young people’s files were initially examined. The HSE then extended that review to the care received by everyone who attended the services between July 2016 and last April.
The review is believed to have examined issues including inappropriate prescribing of medication, diagnoses issues, and missing medical notes.
Copies of the report are to be sent to some 250 families before it is published publicly online.
The report is also to be sent to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
In a statement, the HSE said it had apologised directly to the young people and their families and will issue written apologies to about 250 families for care deficiencies identified in the review.
Claire believes that Cian, who has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism and ADHD, was wrongly prescribed medication through South Kerry Camhs, which made Cian's condition worse.
She only found out by accident that his medication may be a problem.
From January 2020 he was not seen for one year due to the pandemic, and as her son’s challenging behaviour had started to escalate, she contacted the service in case his prescription needed to be reviewed.
“I was then told that they couldn’t find his files because he had been discharged in 2018. But he’s been prescribed this medication all that time. They told me that the medication he had been prescribed was wrong," she said.
“And I’m still trying to get something other than a prescription for my child. I’ve repeatedly requested OT [occupational therapy], speech and language, talk therapy. They say they’ll put you on the waiting list but nothing ever happens. I feel like I’m battling every day for something that should be standard and automatically available."
Solicitor Keith Rolls, partner at Coleman Legal, said the firm was representing up to 80 families impacted by the Camhs controversy in the South Kerry region.
Mr Rolls said: "While apologies are welcome, the true extent of the wrongs committed against the Camhs patients and their families has yet to be fully disclosed. We have written to the HSE outlining our clients' serious concerns about the conduct of the investigation and the HSE have indicated that they are happy with their investigations so far. The truth or otherwise of that indication remains to be seen.”
Killarney solicitor Padraig O’Connell, who is also acting for a number of people in relation to concerns over young people's care under South Kerry Camhs, said: "We’re waiting for the report but we note that an apology is forthcoming, which effectively is an admission of wrongdoing as far as we’re concerned. And we’re pursuing High Court proceedings on the matter on behalf of parents and affected young people.
"We’re also watching for what the State might do. They might look for a tribunal or a redress board. And we’re happy to go with those provided we’re happy with the terms of reference for them. We will not accept a long process. Unless they come up with a formula to deal with the issues immediately, we’ll proceed with our High Court proceedings."