Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy D'Arcy for putting down this Topical Issue. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy McEntee.

The current programme for Government continues to prioritise the development of our mental health services by fully implementing the policy of A Vision for Change. Since 2012, the mental health budget has increased from €711 million to €826 million. In 2017, an additional €24.7 million will be given to mental health services, thus bringing the HSE budget for this key care programme to €851 million. Broadly speaking, this represents an increase of €140 million, or 20%, over the period. It reflects real progress against a continuing overall background of limited resources and competing demands.

Waterford and Wexford mental health services cater for a population of approximately 278,000. The extended catchment and geographic area stretches from Gorey in north Wexford to Youghal in County Cork. Mental health services in Wexford are arranged in accordance with A Vision for Change. In addition to emergency hospital care and community-based services, the HSE has a comprehensive range of services available to people in Wexford in respect of mental health, suicide prevention and substance misuse.

Following a closure order in 2010 from the Mental Health Commission, the acute mental health unit in St. Senan's Hospital in Enniscorthy was amalgamated with Waterford mental health services. The service is now provided at a 44-bed acute inpatient unit in University Hospital Waterford. It is not planned by the HSE to use St. Senan's Hospital in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, for any future provision of mental health services. In addition, arrangements are in place whereby service users in north Wexford who attend Tara House mental health services in Gorey and who require acute inpatient admission have access to five beds in Newcastle Hospital in Greystones, County Wicklow. To support the amalgamation of acute mental health services, a comprehensive €18 million capital investment programme was implemented, with the main developments taking place in County Wexford. These includes additional bed provision or enhancement of facilities such as those in Tara House, Gorey, Tús Nua, Heavenview and Miliview in Enniscorthy and the Farnogue psychiatry-of-old-age care and Summerhill community mental health units in County Wexford.

The suicide crisis assessment nurse, SCAN, service in Wexford is a skilled mental health nursing service for primary care. The service provides an accessible and quick response to GP requests for timely assessments of those in suicide and self-harm distress. The emergency department at Wexford General Hospital has a seven-day liaison nurse-led service. In addition, and in line with catchment area criteria recommended in A Vision for Change, a new purpose-built ten-bed crisis respite unit has been opened in Enniscorthy.

Many of the services I have outlined, as well as others in the area, operate a seven-day service with significant opening hours. I am satisfied that the significant and comprehensive service developments, which have taken place or are currently planned for the Waterford and Wexford mental health service area as a whole, will ensure that the provision of quality and patient-focused mental health care across the region continues. In light of this, the HSE has no plans at present to provide the type of service suggested by the Deputy.

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