Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Joint Committee On Health

General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Annie HoeyAnnie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

That question was a little outside the witnesses' remit. My last question is about restraints and seclusion, which has been mentioned. A number of mental health organisations advocate for a zero-restraint, zero-seclusion action plan. A report entitled, The Use of Restrictive Practices in Approved Centres, showed that restrictive practices were used in 73% of inpatient mental health services in 2020, including seclusion, mechanical restraint or physical restraint. Maybe the witnesses will contest that figure. The number, 73%, seems high. Will the witnesses offer any comment on that? Do they agree with the idea of progressing to a zero-restraint, zero-seclusion plan? We spoke about youth services, but I am interested in the witnesses' thoughts on that more broadly.

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