The whistleblower who raised concerns about the care given to young people attending mental health services in Co Kerry has said the repercussions “destroyed” her life, but she does not regret speaking out.
Dr Maya Sharma first raised concerns about prescribing practices in the Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) in 2020, later submitting a protected disclosure.
The consultant psychiatrist was vindicated when two Health Service Executive reports – the Maskey and Halpin reviews – concluded that hundreds of children were put at risk due to the treatment they received, including the prescribing of antipsychotic medication.
Despite the outcome of the reviews, Sharma has struggled to find work since 2023, claiming she was “unofficially blacklisted”. She moved to London and is currently living in temporary homeless accommodation, as was first reported by RTÉ in April.
Sharma told The Irish Times she recently re-registered with the Irish Medical Council and plans to move back to Killarney to set up a private practice.
“I haven’t had a job since November ’23,” she said.
Sharma took legal action against the HSE in 2023, claiming the organisation had breached its statutory duty and failed to provide a safe workplace.
The HSE filed a defence but settled the case before it went to trial and agreed to pay 75,000 in damages.
As she was unable to secure work in Ireland or the UK since then, Sharma ran out of savings and ended up homeless.
She knew there...
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