Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 589: To ask the Minister for Health if minimum staffing levels exist for approved mental health centres; if so, if he will give details of these staffing levels are, particularly in relation to the new mental health unit at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin; the number of posts from the 414 promised for community mental health teams that will be converted to nursing posts; if he will confirm that these nursing posts will be allocated to the community mental health teams as intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30863/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Part 5 of the Mental Health Act 2001 (Approved Centres) Regulations 2006 specifies that approved centres must have the numbers of staff and skill mix of staff appropriate to the assessed needs of the residents, the size and layout of the approved centre. In-patient staffing levels for approved centres are decided by the service provider in accordance with these provisions and on the basis of need to ensure a safe and appropriate level of care. The staffing required for the new unit at Beaumont has not been decided yet. Of the 414 posts set out in the Service Plan to implement the €35 million special allocation for mental health to progress A Vision for Change, the HSE is now proposing to convert 31 of these posts in the Dublin Mid Leinster region to nursing that will be assigned in the immediate term to acute in-patient services. However, it is intended that this will be done in the context of introducing a nursing floor for the acute in-patient and community services in that region consistent with the provision of safe in-patient services in line with A Vision for Change, the Mental Health Commission Quality Framework for Mental Health Services in Ireland and the roll out of the clinical care programmes.