Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018
Background Countries worldwide are experiencing a third wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Government-imposed restrictive measures continue with undetermined effects on physical and mental health. Aims To compare child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) referrals o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2021-05-01
|
| Series: | BJPsych Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205647242100048X/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1827995664082010112 |
|---|---|
| author | Fiona McNicholas Ian Kelleher Elma Hedderman Fionnuala Lynch Elaine Healy Therese Thornton Edwina Barry Lisa Kelly James McDonald Keith Holmes Glenda Kavanagh Maria Migone |
| author_facet | Fiona McNicholas Ian Kelleher Elma Hedderman Fionnuala Lynch Elaine Healy Therese Thornton Edwina Barry Lisa Kelly James McDonald Keith Holmes Glenda Kavanagh Maria Migone |
| author_sort | Fiona McNicholas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Countries worldwide are experiencing a third wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Government-imposed restrictive measures continue with undetermined effects on physical and mental health.
Aims
To compare child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) referrals over 11 months (January–November) in 2020, 2019 and 2018 and examine any impact the different phases of the COVID-19 restrictions might have on referral rates.
Method
Monthly CAMHS Health Service Executive data were examined, covering a catchment population of 260 560 or 12.7% of all youth (age group 0–18 years) in Ireland. The total number of urgent and routine referrals, appointments offered, rates of non-attendances and discharge outcome are presented.
Results
There was a significant drop in referrals in 2020, compared with prior years (χ2 = 10.3, d.f. = 2, P = 0.006). Referrals in 2020 dropped from March to May by 11% and from June to August by 10.3%. From September, both routine and urgent referrals increased by 50% compared with previous years (2018/2019), with the highest increase in November 2020 (180%). Clinic activity also increased from September, with double the number of out-patient appointments offered, compared with previous years (χ2 = 5171.72, d.f. = 3, P < 0.001) and lower (6.6%) rates of non-attendance (χ2 = 868.35, d.f. = 3, P < 0.001).
Conclusions
In 2020, following an initial decline, referrals to CAMHS increased consistently from September. Such unprecedented increase in referrals places further strain on services that are already underresourced and underfunded, with the likelihood of increased waiting lists post COVID-19. It is envisaged that once the pandemic is over, resources will be even more constrained, and CAMHS will be urgently in need of additional ring-fenced funding.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-08e0394c891849c8b4592dc7d4797001 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:43Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-08e0394c891849c8b4592dc7d47970012023-03-09T12:29:06ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242021-05-01710.1192/bjo.2021.48Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018Fiona McNicholas0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9428-6908Ian Kelleher1Elma Hedderman2Fionnuala Lynch3Elaine Healy4Therese Thornton5Edwina Barry6Lisa Kelly7James McDonald8Keith Holmes9Glenda Kavanagh10Maria Migone11Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland; Children Health Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; and Lucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, IrelandLucena Clinics, St. John of God Community Services, Ireland; Department Academic Child & Adolescent Psychiatry UCD, DublinBackground Countries worldwide are experiencing a third wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Government-imposed restrictive measures continue with undetermined effects on physical and mental health. Aims To compare child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) referrals over 11 months (January–November) in 2020, 2019 and 2018 and examine any impact the different phases of the COVID-19 restrictions might have on referral rates. Method Monthly CAMHS Health Service Executive data were examined, covering a catchment population of 260 560 or 12.7% of all youth (age group 0–18 years) in Ireland. The total number of urgent and routine referrals, appointments offered, rates of non-attendances and discharge outcome are presented. Results There was a significant drop in referrals in 2020, compared with prior years (χ2 = 10.3, d.f. = 2, P = 0.006). Referrals in 2020 dropped from March to May by 11% and from June to August by 10.3%. From September, both routine and urgent referrals increased by 50% compared with previous years (2018/2019), with the highest increase in November 2020 (180%). Clinic activity also increased from September, with double the number of out-patient appointments offered, compared with previous years (χ2 = 5171.72, d.f. = 3, P < 0.001) and lower (6.6%) rates of non-attendance (χ2 = 868.35, d.f. = 3, P < 0.001). Conclusions In 2020, following an initial decline, referrals to CAMHS increased consistently from September. Such unprecedented increase in referrals places further strain on services that are already underresourced and underfunded, with the likelihood of increased waiting lists post COVID-19. It is envisaged that once the pandemic is over, resources will be even more constrained, and CAMHS will be urgently in need of additional ring-fenced funding. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205647242100048X/type/journal_articleCAMHSCOVID-19referrals ratesactivitymental health |
| spellingShingle | Fiona McNicholas Ian Kelleher Elma Hedderman Fionnuala Lynch Elaine Healy Therese Thornton Edwina Barry Lisa Kelly James McDonald Keith Holmes Glenda Kavanagh Maria Migone Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 BJPsych Open CAMHS COVID-19 referrals rates activity mental health |
| title | Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 |
| title_full | Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 |
| title_fullStr | Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 |
| title_short | Referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 |
| title_sort | referral patterns for specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the republic of ireland during the covid 19 pandemic compared with 2019 and 2018 |
| topic | CAMHS COVID-19 referrals rates activity mental health |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205647242100048X/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fionamcnicholas referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT iankelleher referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT elmahedderman referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT fionnualalynch referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT elainehealy referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT theresethornton referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT edwinabarry referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT lisakelly referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT jamesmcdonald referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT keithholmes referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT glendakavanagh referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 AT mariamigone referralpatternsforspecialistchildandadolescentmentalhealthservicesintherepublicofirelandduringthecovid19pandemiccomparedwith2019and2018 |