Tag Archives: Mental Health Commission

  Major shortcomings in the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in the Mid-West have prompted an apology from the HSE. Serious concerns about the capacity of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to provide a safe service for young people in the region with mental health issues have been highlighted in a new report completed by the Mental Health Commission (MHC). Responding to the Commission’s critical report, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare stated it acknowledges deficits in the provision of CAMHS and apologises to children and families who have not received the standard of care that they or they expect. The HSE outlined it continues to progress a targeted series of service improvements in Mid- West CAMHS. The number of children waiting for a mental health appointment in West Clare has increased sevenfold in the last year up from 12 at the time of inspection in June 2022 to 91 in February 2023. The waiting list …

AN inspection of the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Ennis Hospital by the Mental Health Commission (MHC) found a ‘critical risk’ non-compliance. The centre, which provides in-patient mental health care to residents of North Tipperary and County Clare, achieved an overall compliance rate of 71%, a 7% increase on the 64% it received in 2020. However, the inspection identified one critical risk and six high-risk non-compliances, with the critical risk relating to risk management procedures. The Ennis inspection report was one of three published by the MHC along with mental health centres in Drogheda and Offaly. Across all three the MHC found one critical and sixteen high-risk non-compliances “All of the centres inspected were non-compliant with the regulation relating to premises,” said the Inspector of Mental Health Services, Dr Susan Finnerty. “We see issues with buildings not being maintained, bathrooms not being ventilated and the lack of sufficient privacy for patients. These environments are not conducive to the treatment and recovery …

THERE has been an increase of 70% in the use of physical force to manage patients at Ennis’s Acute Psychiatric Unit, new figures show. The rise comes at a time when mental health experts say such measures should only be used in “exceptional” circumstances. A report from the Mental Health Commission shows there were 85 incidents, in 2019, when residents of the unit were physically restrained after they were judged to pose an immediate danger to themselves or to others. While there was a decrease nationally in the number of episodes of physical restraint in the country’s 65 approved inpatient psychiatric treatment centres, the facility in Ennis bucked that trend. There were 50 incidents of physical restraint at the unit in 2018 and 85 episodes involving 41 residents in 2019. In response to a query from The Champion, the Health Service Executive (HSE) Midwest, said it welcomed the report’s findings and is currently reviewing them. “While restrictive measures are sometimes …

THE HSE has moved to address a number of breaches that were identified during a recent inspection of the acute psychiatric unit in Ennis Hospital. The Mental Health Commission 2015 annual inspection at the unit took place on October 27, 28 and 29 last. In relation to the premises, inspectors pointed out that no remedial action was taken, following an audit of a significant number of ligature points within the approved centre. “The toilets and shower rooms were not of an adequate standard and were in a poor state of repair: no remedial works had taken place since the last inspection. “They had poor ventilation, unsuitable flooring, missing tiles, crumbling plasterwork and a poor standard of hygiene. One bathroom was malodourous on inspection.” Moving to the high observation unit, the report said this area was “ in a poor state of repair, the door from the nurses’ office could not be used and the window of the door was boarded up. …

THE health watchdog has been asked to conduct an investigation into care at a Spanish Point residential facility, after several deficiencies were revealed in a recent inspection conducted by the Mental Health Commission. Mental health support group, Support Link, has asked HIQA to conduct a review into the Cois Mara facility which, at the time of inspection on November 27, 2013, had 14 residents ranging in age from 52 to 77. Support Link highlighted the findings of the report, including a lack of specialised nursing staff, no occupational therapist, physical therapist or proper therapeutic intervention. The group claimed it was “disgraceful” that residents were paying €134 weekly, despite the absence of a multi-disciplinary team and other basic services. It alleged the HSE is breaching the Mental Health Act by keeping it open as an ‘unapproved’ centre since 2002. Apart from the renovation of the accommodation, such as extending the activities room and shower rooms, the report did not outline any …