John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

21. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to improve psychiatric services at acute and at community level in counties Carlow and Kilkenny. [20987/16]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The HSE Carlow/Kilkenny Mental Health Service delivers Mental Health services across a broad range of primary and community based services, together with specialised services for children and adolescents, adults and older people. Services include home care, inpatient facilities, outpatient clinics, various day services, and high, medium or low support community accommodation. The comprehensive development of Community Mental Health Teams facilitates key professionals to provide mental health interventions. These teams comprise of consultant psychiatrists, junior doctors, specialist and community mental health nurses, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists and addiction counsellors who provide treatment based on assessed need. The development of Home Based Service Teams in Carlow/Kilkenny facilitates Recovery in the service users own home.

There is a significant focus on meaningful involvement for the service user in the management of their illness, with a more Recovery focussed service. Initiatives here include Involvement Centres which are peer-led support services, located in both Carlow and Kilkenny, the development of a Recovery College which delivers programmes by people who have lived experience in mental health, and delivery of the Wellness Recovery Access Programme to help people better manage their mental health. Other measures include the Advanced Recovery Ireland project to promote Recovery from mental ill health, and Service User Forums to facilitate feed back on service delivery and development. Carlow/Kilkenny Mental Health Service continues to work closely with relevant voluntary and statutory partners on all these fronts, including those relating to various Suicide prevention and self-harm programmes.

The HSE provides a 24/7 Psychiatric Liaison Assessment service through the Emergency Department in St. Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny. This allows for early identification and referral for treatment of acute mental health difficulties in the Emergency Department setting. In addition, there are day hospitals in Carlow and Kilkenny which provide 7 day acute day hospital services, and also provide access to the home care teams. The service operates a single point of entry which facilitates a stream lined access for General Practitioners.

A strong system of corporate and clinical governance has been developed in Carlow/Kilkenny/South Tipperary in the last two years, with governance being provided by the Executive Management Team, and the Committees reporting to it. These Committees include the Quality Safety Executive Committee, the Operational Team, and the Dept. of Psychiatry Operational Group. The development of clinical governance has been supported by the appointment of a Risk Manager to the service. The Carlow/Kilkenny service is also engaging in the Reform Programme to realign services to primary care networks, in line with national policy to facilitate integration and improvement of services.