Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As stated in the reply to the previous question from the Deputy, community mental health teams will, over the medium to long term, be co-located with other services in primary care centres in their catchment areas. In the interim, while such facilities are being developed, several other options are being considered by the HSE locally.

In accordance with national policy set out in A Vision for Change, community-based teams have been established to provide outreach and outpatient services across the local community health-care organisation area. Two teams, covering Galway city and the Connemara region, are currently located within the adult acute mental health unit in University Hospital Galway, and they provide outpatient services. Outreach clinics are also provided in rural locations within their sectors.

Also, in accordance with the national policy, community mental health teams can be co-located with other services in primary care centres in their catchment areas. In Galway city, there is a primary care facility planned for Shantalla in the medium to long term. It is expected that the community mental health team for mental health services in the city will be based there. While primary care centres continue to be rolled out across the community health care organisation, CHO, area, an appropriate site to house community mental health teams in the west of the county has not yet been identified. While the development of these primary care centres is being progressed, several other options for the location of outpatient services and community mental health teams continue to be explored by the executive.

Decisions on such matters by the HSE may involve negotiations and commercial sensitivity and are a matter for the executive to conclude so as to achieve the best outcome possible. I will ask that the HSE locally update the Deputy when it is in a position to do so.

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