Care Opinion Ireland

My teen daughter lacked consistent support

Posted By Issy wizzy

"My teen daughter lacked consistent support"

About: Sligo/Leitrim Mental Health Services / Sligo Child and Adolescent Community Mental Health Services

(as a parent/guardian),

Appointments

Appointments


My 17 year old daughter was attending mental health services in Co Sligo for a long time, seen by a number of people.

Future plans

Future plans

Although sometimes I thought we were getting somewhere, something else would happen and she would be passed on from one to another and the psychiatrist was the only consistent one in her care.

My concern with the system is the confidentiality. I believe family members should be informed every step, especially where a client is really down in the dumps, not only when they threaten suicide. That's the only time i was involved. I was told what my child had said but was never told or given support on how to deal with her, bar watch her.

My question to the services in this day and age: how can you watch your teen 24 hours a day even if that's the only thing you had to do, let alone having 3 younger?

Although staff were kind to my daughter I felt she never got any consistent support for long enough, until she collapsed in the waiting room one day and was ultimately hospitalised and admitted. It was a cry for help.

Changes need to happen no matter what age. The client's relatives need to be kept in the loop as families are suffering. My other children did, as i couldn't care for them so their aunt did until i dealt with the eldest. My little fellas lost out on the cuddles and time with mammy as i just hoped i wouldn't lose my daughter. Thankfully i didn't but others have.

Involved in decisions

Involved in decisions


Being given time

Being given time


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Responses

Response from Business Manager, Sligo Leitrim Adult Mental Health, HSE 6 years ago
HSE

Submitted on 20/12/2017 at 16:48
Published on Care Opinion Ireland at 20:06

Dear Issy wizzy - firstly CAMHS would like to say sorry for the experiences you and your daughter had with our service and secondly, thank you for taking the time to write to us about your service experiences.

One of the main reasons your daughter did not receive consistent support was due entirely to the staff changes that occurred in CAMHS in 2016 and 2017. A child may have been moved from one person to another because of these changes and also the junior doctors are rotated every six months as part of their Specialist Training. The service also has some specialist clinics and staffing of these changed with the appointment of two new consultants in June /July 2017.

CAMHS staff like all HSE staff are bound by strict confidentiality rules. CAMHS is a multidisciplinary service and the multidisciplinary team provides care under the leadership of a CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist as Clinical lead. All children receiving treatment are discussed by the multidisciplinary team at their meetings.

We agree that family members should be informed of every step and the CAMHS Team endeavour to do this. It is a fine balance in treatment of children over 16 years of age to maintain therapeutic alliance and also to include parents. This issue will be taken to the CAMHS team meeting and discussed.

It is difficult to influence the wider system to provide more integrated care. Notwithstanding this, CAMHS will look at how it can provide support to parents and families and work with other stakeholders in primary care through service agreements etc. to develop appropriate supports for parents and families.

Again I thank you for taking the time to write, it is only if we know how our services impact on the people who use them will we ever be able to improve and to provide what clients need and are asking for. I hope your daughter is well and making a good recovery

Best wishes

Joy

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Update posted by Issy wizzy (a parent/guardian)

Thank you for your response Joy. Still no change, no appointment been made that was promised 6 week ago.

I also have a 12 year old now with difficulties.

Response from Joy Synnott, Business Manager, Sligo Leitrim Adult Mental Health, HSE 6 years ago
Joy Synnott
Business Manager, Sligo Leitrim Adult Mental Health,
HSE

Submitted on 03/01/2018 at 09:39
Published on Care Opinion Ireland at 09:50

Dear Issy wizzy, again thank you for taking the time to post your response. I would like to have a chat with you about the difficulties you still appear to be having in engaging with CAMHS. If you send your contact telephone number to me at joy.synnott@hse.ie I will give you a call as soon as possible after I receive it.

Best wishes

Joy

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