Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Catherine Byrne, for coming to the Seanad this morning. The important issue I wish to raise is the inpatient mental health unit in Roscommon town. As the Minister of State will be aware, a recent inspection by the Mental Health Commission has found that the unit is non-compliant with 14 regulations, one rule and four codes of practice. She will also be aware that an external report on mental health services was published last September. It is difficult for me, as a public representative, for people in our community and for people who need to use our mental health services and their families to have confidence in the acute inpatient mental health unit as well as the other services in the county when there is non-compliance in a number of key areas.

These inspections take place every year. I should emphasise that our results have been getting worse, not better, through 2015, 2016 and 2017. We are not making improvements. In 2015, there were 18 non-compliant areas, in 2016 there were 13 and in 2017 there were 19. That is very serious. I will highlight the difficulties that were found in the report. They are basic issues - I worked as an occupational therapist in mental health services - such as poor hand hygiene, no soap in dispensers, dairy products not stored at an appropriate temperature, inadequate staffing, no up-to-date training and broken handles on windows and lockers. One section of the report indicates huge issues with recreational space. It was described as a cage-like area. I acknowledge that work commenced last November on developing a garden at the inpatient mental health unit, which is something of an improvement.

However, I am not happy. We had a meeting last night with the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Jim Daly, about another unit, the Rosalie unit in Castlerea. There was no HSE management at that meeting. Who exactly is running our mental health services at present? I am not satisfied with the level of care being given to people who are going through very difficult times.I want to know exactly what measures are being put in place to ensure we do not see results like this again. I ask the Minister of State for a response that deals with the practical solutions that will be put in place immediately.