Award of €130,000 to 15-year-old boy among four newly-concluded cases over South Kerry Camhs

A 15-year-old autistic boy considered to have been let down and badly treated by South Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) in the past has been awarded €130,000.

It is the highest award so far against the Health Service Executive (HSE) relating to the care provided by the South Kerry Camhs.

The boy’s was one of four cases before the High Court on Friday for approval of determinations after mediation and a settlement under the State compensation scheme, which was set up last year after a controversy came to light over care provided by South Kerry Camhs.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey approved three determinations by the mediator amounting to a total of €250,000 and one €92,000 settlement.

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Counsel for the teenager awarded €130,000, David Sutton SC, instructed by Dan O’Connor solicitor, told the court it is the highest award so far in these cases.

The court was told the now 15-year-old boy, who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, was first referred to Camhs in 2017.

In a report, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist said the boy was inappropriately treated with an antipsychotic medication and another drug for 1½ years.

Mediator Hugh Mohan SC reported that the child’s mother found her son’s mood and attitude changed considerably over this period of time “when he went from a happy smiley kid to a zombie-like state”.

His school principal also reported that he would constantly have to wake him up.

The boy, Mr Mohan said, was somebody who undoubtedly had some issues and in an attempt to deal with them he sought treatment that “left him much worse off”.

“He was in a very vulnerable situation and, far from getting help, he was let down and badly treated,” the mediator concluded.

He also said that, instead of being monitored and overseen, the boy was “ignored and treated very poorly over a prolonged period of time”.

Two other cases subject to determinations were those of another 15-year-old boy, awarded €40,000, and a teenage girl awarded €80,000. Mr Sutton said the girl’s case involved inappropriate prescription and she was treated in a “very unpleasant, brusque way”.

In the fourth case before the court, a settlement of €92,000 was approved for a now 16-year-old boy in a case about the prescription of an anti-psychotic drug and a general lack of care.

Approving the determinations and settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey wished all the young people the best for the future.

Last year a review took place of the care of 1,300 young people who attended the HSE-run South Kerry Camhs over a four-year period.

It described the treatment of hundreds of children received by a doctor working in mental health in South Kerry as “risky” and found proof of significant harm to 46 children.