Primary psychology services in Kildare South are 'virtually non-existent' – TD

Across all age categories, the majority of people seeking support for mental health services in Kildare are waiting for over a year for an appointment, according to figures released this week by the HSE in response to a Parliamentary Question from Kildare South TD, Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh.

Reacting to the figures, Deputy Ní Raghallaigh said: “Primary care psychology in South Kildare is utterly ineffectual.

“Especially worrying, 631 out of 1082 young people between the ages of 5 and 17 year waiting for an appointment have been waiting over a year. These are people who need specialist support now. This trend is replicated across the lifespan and across services, with huge deficits in CDNT and CAHMS in the area also.

“We know that early intervention is imperative. Waiting for over a year, and in cases several years, for an initial appointment is an indictment of the system and the run-off consequences are significant.

“I am calling on the Minister for Health to introduce emergency recruitment measures to staff primary psychology to facilitate much needed services in a fast-growing county.”

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