The Ombudsman for Children has classed the HSE as being “a profound violation” when it comes to children’s healthcare.
In a letter addressed to the new chief executive of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Bernard Gloster, the Ombudsman, Dr Niall Muldoon, argued that the HSE has “seriously failed in its duty to uphold the rights of children, to the best possible healthcare”.
The letter, which was obtained by The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act, was written in March of this year - three months after Mr Gloster became the HSE’s new chief executive.
In particular, Dr Muldoon expressed concerns about the availability of mental health care for children around the country.
“Very many children have not had their rights upheld”, Dr Muldoon wrote, referring to the lack of therapeutic services available for them, as well as the running of the HSE’s child and adolescent mental health service (Camhs).
Dr Muldoon went on to add that there is a “geographical disparity” in certain areas of children’s healthcare, meaning that “many children are punished for becoming ill in the wrong location”.
The letter stated that many children have to wait “beyond six months for an initial appointment” and then, once they have access to the services, they express “justifiable concerns about the quality of care received.”
Dr Muldoon then went on to express his fears surrounding the services for disabled children across Ireland.
“The examples of rights being ignored are numerous and include children with scoliosis deteriorating while they wait for operations, and children waiting for assessments of needs just so that they can begin to access services to help them thrive and reach their potential,” he explained in his letter.
In his final thoughts, Dr Muldoon concluded that there has been an “apparent dereliction of duty by the State, through the HSE”, and he urged the HSE to “begin the process of joint work or joint funding” for a stronger children’s healthcare system.
