Written answers

Tuesday, 15 February 2005

Department of Health and Children

Mental Health Services

9:00 pm

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if there are plans in her Department for the provision of services for persons suffering from eating disorders; if she will report on these plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4731/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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Persons presenting with eating disorders are generally treated through the local mental health services. Outpatient psychiatric services are provided from a network of hospitals, health centres, day hospitals and day centres. Where inpatient treatment is deemed necessary, it is provided in the local acute psychiatric unit or hospital, beds being allocated on the basis of patient need at any particular time.

A tertiary referral service for eating disorders is available to public patients in St Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin where three inpatient beds are designated for this purpose. A similar services is available privately at St Patrick's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin and at St. John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.

The expert group on mental health policy is currently preparing a national policy framework for the further modernisation of the mental health services, updating the 1984 policy document, Planning for the Future. The expert group has a number of sub-groups looking at specialist issues in mental health services, including eating disorders. The expert group on mental health policy is expected to report in 2005.

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