Psychiatrists call for ‘radical overhaul’ of mental health services in Ireland

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has called for a “radical overhaul” of mental health services in Ireland as an urgent priority, especially for children and adolescents, the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has said.

There is a crisis across the entire psychiatric system including in child services, prisons and mental health beds with lengthy waiting lists and lack of funding, leaving the provision of services in a “dire state”, president of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland Dr William Flannery has said.

The current waiting lists for children and adults in need of urgent care has been described as “unacceptable” and  the provision of mental health services for prisoners as “inadequate”. It also said that there is a significant recruitment and retention crisis among doctors.

The Irish College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has called for the urgent reforms to the entire mental health system.

The CPsychI press statement was published on 22 August 2022. Read in full via PDF here.