‘He can’t remember the past four years’: Over-medication caused ‘significant harm’ to boy attending Camhs

Inappropriately prescribed Risperidone for four years, Jason O’Connell from Cahersiveen is one of several children and adolescents who attended Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) in south Kerry and who are trying to recover their earlier years.

Jason was one of 46 children who suffered “significant harm” while attending Camhs in the region because of over-medication, a report found a year ago.

The inquiry into 1,300 Camhs case files in south Kerry over a five-year period to April 2021 was initiated on foot of concerns by a whistleblower.

Jason (15), who suffers from ADHD, is now off all medication and is attending a limited timetable in Coláiste na Sceilge, Cahersiveen.

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“He can’t remember the past four years,” says his father, Maurice, who has previously described how his son’s personality changed completely when he was put on the drug meant for adults with bipolar and other disorders. He says Jason had lost his smile and his bubbliness and at one stage had begged to be taken off the drug.

Jason likes swimming and astronomy and all things scientific, his father says. “He’s managing away,” O’Connell adds.

He says the lower tiers of Camhs in Killarney have improved greatly. However, there is still no senior consultant, and family contact with the lead psychiatrist in Dubai is through video calls.

“Four and a half thousand miles is not an ideal situation,” says O’Connell. He met the psychiatrist in person when he came to Ireland to visit his family but since then it has been via Zoom. Those meetings are scheduled in Killarney and a key worker or other person is present to take notes during the video call. The psychiatrist is able to prescribe over Zoom if necessary.

O’Connell says liaison has improved between Camhs and the Kerry Camhs Family Support Group which was formed after the scandal emerged. But he says the pledged redress scheme has not been fully implemented and some families have been given €10,000 as part of the anticipated settlement, while others have not.

The families and siblings of those affected have not been included, and O’Connell believes they should be as they too have suffered over the past four years.

“The Government knows we are not in a position to bring a civil case,” he says, referring to estimated costs of more than €100,000 if a High Court case were to be brought.

Last September, the HSE initiated a review of patients of Camhs in north Kerry and that inquiry is still under way.