Help support Cork Safety Alerts by becoming a member – Click Here
COVID-19 pandemic has created huge challenges in supporting vulnerable patients with mental health conditions.
Haphazard access and long waiting times for appointments to psychology services in primary care highlighted by the Irish College of General Practitioners.
Representatives of the Irish College of General Practitioners today (Thursday December 3rd 2020) presented its submission on the impact of COVID-19 to the Joint Committee of the Oireachtas on Health’s Sub-Committee on Mental Health.
Dr Brian Osborne, the ICGP’s Assistant Medical Director & Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, the ICGP’s Medical Director, presented the submission on behalf of the College.
The ICGP’s submission included anonymised but real cases of the challenges that GPs’ patients with mental health challenges face in accessing services at community level, which highlights the continuing shortcomings in mental health services.
Dr Brian Osborne said:
Over 90% of mental health care takes place in a general practice setting. GPs are the first port of call for many persons experiencing mental health difficulties. But other parts of the mental health services are not as accessible, and we have included examples of cases where patients who urgently need mental health services are not able to access them.”
He said: With regard to CAMHS, there are restrictive referral criteria, waiting times can be long and children’s conditions often worsen while they wait to be seen. A particular problem in the service is when children are 17 or 18 years old when they fall between the CAMHS and adult services and referrals are rejected by both services.
Dr Diarmuid Quinlan said:
Access to psychology services in primary care is haphazard and has long waiting times. Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) has increased waiting times and the service is limited. Patients with moderate or severe psychological problems, long-standing depression, severe anxiety and behavioural problems or personality disorders are precluded from accessing the CIPC. Where are these patients supposed to access psychological supports?
He added: People with severe enduring mental illness, particularly bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are especially impacted by the pandemic. The physical and mental wellbeing of this vulnerable group of patients would greatly benefit from a funded integrated chronic disease management programme.
The full submission can be read here https://www.icgpnews.ie/icgp-submission-…eoples-wellbeing/
Want to get €5, absolutely free? Sign up to the ‘Smart’ Debit Card – Curve today, and earn a fiver on us! Find out more here.