Psychology survey finds long delays

MORE than 3,200 people are on health-board waiting lists for psychological services, with delays of up to three years in some…

MORE than 3,200 people are on health-board waiting lists for psychological services, with delays of up to three years in some parts of the State, according to a new survey by the trade union IMPACT.

Queues are greatest in the Western Health Board region, where 803 children and 155 adults are waiting for psychological services, compared to 278 children and 40 adults in the North Eastern region.

Delays are longest in the Midland region, with three-year waiting periods for adults, and the Mid Western region, with 30-month waiting periods for children. These compare with waiting times of three months for children and 12 weeks for adults in the Southern region.