HSE needs plan to tackle psychology waiting lists, says Labour

Labour’s Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has said the HSE needs to bring forward immediately an action plan to resolve the “horrendously long” primary care psychology waiting lists.

Describing the system of psychology supports in some areas as a “disaster”, she said the HSE has announced plans to put in place an action plan for other therapies with long waiting lists in recent weeks, but there is no such plan for psychology supports.

Responding to the findings published this morning by RTÉ that children are waiting up to 13 years in parts of Dublin, Deputy Sherlock said:

“Every week, we are working with families who are having to deal with the appalling consequences for their children waiting years to be seen in terms of a deterioration of their health, the impact on school engagement and attendance and on their family.

“Far too often, we see children falling between the cracks of CDNT lists and primary care lists. In one case my office is supporting, a child was moved onto the primary care psychology list, not because it was clinically indicated but because there was no psychologist in the CDNT.

“Even though primary care psychology waiting lists have breached the 20,000 mark for a number of years. Figures released to my office by way of parliamentary question in April of this year found a 170% increase in the number of children on the psychology wait list awaiting treatment over the last three years. At the end of December 2024, 11552 children were waiting more than a year for treatment. And yet, there is a glaring absence of an action plan from the HSE.

“Three weeks ago, the HSE and Minister for Health announced an initiative to reduce waiting times for SLT, OT and physiotherapy. When I quizzed HSE CEO Bernard Gloster at the Joint Oireachtas Health Committee about the exclusion of primary care psychology, he said that other initiatives will have to be found to reduce psychology waiting lists.

“Early intervention is crucial if children are to thrive, and unfortunately, children are being failed in this regard. We need coordinated action to address the lack of access to therapies and treatment by HSE and the Minister for Health.

“The reality is that we are losing weeks, months, and years of a child’s mental and physical health when they left waiting for badly needed psychology services for some children and that even bigger health issues are developing because of a lack of timely care. The Minister and the HSE need to announce targeted action immediately.”