Tag Archives: Ennis psychiatric unit

THE overall compliance rate with national standards in the Ennis Psychiatric Unit fell by 10% over a 12 months period, a new report has revealed. A report published by the Mental Health Commission (MHC) rated the overall compliance rate of the unit at 64% last year compared to 74% in 2019, 66% in 2018, 76% in 2017 and 57% in 2016. The approved centre is located on the ground of Ennis General Hospital and provides in-patient mental health care to residents of North Tipperary and Clare. It had a total of 39 beds. Five beds were designated to psychiatry of later life (POLL). Nine teams admitted residents into the approved centre including the POLL, and rehabilitation teams. Responding to the report, the HSE stated Mid-West Mental Health Services are committed to the delivery of quality and safe mental health services. HSE Mental Health Services welcomed the report of the MHC and has been working since the visit in November on …

A psychiatric nurse, who works in Ennis Hospital, has issued an appeal to support a regional neo-natal unit that provided vital care to his baby daughter whose chances of survival after birth were rated at just 50%. Mark Blennerhassett has worked as a psychiatric nurse in the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Ennis Hospital for the last six years. Now living in Lisnagry, the South Kerry native has set up a GoFundMe page with his wife, Lisa, which has already raised almost €8,000 for the neo-natal unit at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL). Weighing in at a tiny 506grams or 1lb2oz at 26 weeks gestation on May 28 last, Ella Blennerhassett was the smallest baby born at UHML last year. She showed great courage to make it to her first birthday as her parents nearly lost Ella when she was 16 days old. The couple got a phone call at 5:30am from the neo natal team urging them to come in …

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. …

An Ennis woman, who recently tried to take her own life, has appealed for changes in the general admission and treatment policies for people suffering from severe psychological and emotional distress. Aisling Byrnes, aged 36, claims she was discharged on her own from University Hospital Limerick recently, without a care plan or a request for a family member to take her home, despite being under high observation while she was in the hospital. She has decided to speak about her recent experience to try and ensure no other patient experiences the same serious deficits in the regional mental health system. Her experience has prompted Liam Minogue of Emotions Peer Support Centre (Peer) to request the Mid-West HSE to conduct an urgent review of general admission and treatment policies for people in crisis. The Mid-West HSE hadn’t responded to a number of queries from The Clare Champion at the time of going to press. Ms Byrnes, who suffers from borderline personality disorder, …