There is an “urgent need” to have child psychiatrists in hospital paediatric units, with only three of the 18 units currently having such expert staff, a body of 22 clinicians and academics have said. They point out that acute child psychiatric-related admissions are “not captured” in the reporting systems of public hospitals or of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs). Writing in the Irish Medical Journal they said these admissions are also not regulated by the Mental Health Commission. The group comprises consultant and senior registrar child psychiatrists either attached to Children’s Health Ireland or Camhs an senior paediatricians in hospitals across 11 counties. “Currently, only 3 of the 18 public paediatric units across Ireland have access to dedicated paediatric liaison psychiatry services, with 2 further units identified as having locum cover in motion,” the paper said.

Source: Irish Examiner January 25, 2026 17:31 UTC