“GPs will have instant access to specialist mental‑health expertise, and parents will know support is on hand from the very first day of a crisis,” according to Sarah Toye, Assistant Director of Nursing, welcoming the new dedicated suicide crisis nurse service for teenagers to be offered by Donegal Mental Health Services. Delivered within Primary Care, following referral from General Practitioners (GPs), under the National Clinical Care Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide Related Ideation (NCPSHI), the nurse-led service went live in recent weeks.

Sarah added that “early intervention at primary‑care level should prevent many distressed young people ending up in the emergency department or on a waiting list for a CAMHS appointment.”

Donegal Mental Health Services has become the first Mental Health Service in Ireland to offer such a service. The expansion builds on Donegal’s well‑established Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) programme, introduced locally in 2015 for adults referred by their GPs. In that time the adult service has completed more than 2,300 assessments for people at risk of suicide or self‑harm.

Under the new scheme, named SCAN U, GPs will be able to refer 16 to 18‑year‑olds who present with suicidal thoughts direct to the specialist nurses. Families will be contacted the same day, and a full bio‑psychosocial assessment will take place in the GP surgery within 72 hours. Each young person will leave with a personalised emergency care plan and follow‑up arrangements linking them to the most appropriate services.

The service will roll out initially across north‑east Donegal, from GPs in Manorcunningham through Inishowen, before being extended county‑wide following the completed evaluation of the pilot phase.

SCAN U follows the National Clinical Programme for Self‑Harm and Suicide‑Related Ideation’s updated Model of Care, which calls for rapid, compassionate assessment, active family involvement and seamless handover to longer‑term supports, all outside the pressure of an emergency department.

John Meehan, Head of the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) outlined how he was “very proud to support the launch of the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse Underage Service in County Donegal. This vital initiative is the result of dedicated efforts by our colleagues in the Donegal Mental Health Services, in collaboration with the HSE’s National Clinical Care Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide-Related Ideation. It has been made possible through the crucial support and commitment of the Department of Health, and Minister Mary Butler TD.

"Strategically, this service aligns with key recommendations from Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide. Most importantly, on the ground, I am confident it will make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people in Donegal—ensuring they receive timely, compassionate crisis responses, thorough assessments, tailored care plans, and essential follow-up support."

Dr Ciarán Roarty added that “as a GP in Donegal, I warmly welcome the introduction of this new service for 16 to 18-year-olds. This is a vital and timely initiative that will provide much-needed support to young people in distress, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have in our community.  Once again, this highlights the valuable benefits of collaboration between GPs and hospital-based care. I look forward to seeing this initiative rolled out across the county—and hopefully nationwide.”

The Donegal model is expected to inform similar services elsewhere in the country.

The development of this new service underpins the stated priorities in the HSE Corporate Plan to implement Improvement Programmes. This includes in this instance those relating to the Child and Youth Mental Health Action Plan -  increasing timely access to clinically effective and standardised mental health services, ensuring earlier intervention and Emergency Department alternatives.