Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The issue of access to mental health services, specifically the total lack of access to residential psychiatric beds in Tipperary, is creating an appalling crisis in our county. Almost all of those who suffer psychological distress are forced to use the services of the 44-bed unit at St. Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny. I remind the Taoiseach that on 21 December 2018, the Mental Health Commission issued summonses against the HSE as the registered proprietor of the department of psychiatry at St. Luke's hospital. On 19 February, Kilkenny District Court found against the HSE on a number of charges relating to breaches of the Mental Health Act 2001. St. Luke's General Hospital pleaded guilty to four charges, including poor maintenance of seclusion facilities and failure to comply with the rules governing the signing of the seclusion register by consultant psychiatrists responsible as required by law. The Mental Health Commission inspectors reported - and I apologise for this - that they were almost physically sick from the smell of a discarded colostomy bag that had been left in a clinical waste bin inside the room where electric shock treatment is administered. It is appalling. This is deeply offensive to the dignity of all patients, from wherever they come. Was anyone held accountable? Of course not. Judge Brian O'Shea fined the HSE a paltry €5,200. What signal does this send out to the families of the service users? More important, what does it do to meet the overwhelming need for residential psychiatric beds in County Tipperary? Each year since the closure of St. Michael's unit in Clonmel, the situation has continued to deteriorate rapidly. I accept the bona fides of the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, and sincerely accept what he is trying to do but something is blocking the return of psychiatric beds to County Tipperary and it needs to be addressed urgently. It is way beyond time.

If this is the crisis in the provision of adult mental health services, the crisis in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, is even more alarming. There is not a single senior registrar for community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 3 covering north Tipperary or CHO area 5 covering south Tipperary. There is not one full-time CAMHS speech and language therapist or CAMHS social worker assigned to south Tipperary. It is appalling. When we put all of this together it is clear we are beyond breaking point in Tipperary. The HSE indicates the south east community healthcare area has the second lowest rate of acute psychiatric bed provision. If this area were to be provided with the national average rate of bed provision, an additional 18 acute psychiatric care beds would be required.

I acknowledge the announcement by the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, Jigsaw, that it plans to add to its growing network, with new services in Tipperary earmarked for 2019 or early 2020. We are waiting for these. In the meantime, however, the provision of additional professional psychiatric services in the county is at an all-time low. What steps are the Taoiseach and the Government taking to address this very urgent matter?

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