Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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51. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that there are mental health services available outside of the average business hours, that is 9am-5pm (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29894/16]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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24/7 cover is provided within mental health services by a number of interlinked components across the services. These are as follows:

- During normal working hours i.e. 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, the Community Mental Health Teams responsible for each age group (children and adolescents, working age adults and older persons) are available to respond to crises. For existing patients of the service, the usual route is that they contact their community mental health nurse or health and social care professional as appropriate. For those without previous contact, the route is through the person’s GP who requests an urgent assessment. All mental health teams keep slots for urgent referrals for a person who is acutely suicidal or severely depressed. On occasion where there is no slot available, the cases booked for that day have to be rearranged to facilitate an urgent assessment.

- During the above hours a person may present to the Emergency Department. The Mental Health Division, arising from the Programme for Government investment since 2012, has now ensured that all Level 4 hospitals have a Liaison Psychiatry Service available on the site of the acute hospital. This service provides prompt assessments in the Emergency Department. Most Level 3 hospitals now have either a service in place or one is planned with the allocation from the Programme for Government in 2015. For the latter, recruitment is taking place and where the liaison service is not yet in place the local service has an alternative arrangement whereby the person is assessed by a liaison nurse or NCHD and the consultant on duty for that day provides advice on management.

- The National Clinical Programme (NCP) for the Assessment and Management of Self-Harm in Emergency Departments began in December 2014. Under this programme 25 senior mental health nurses at Clinical Nurse Specialist level have been trained and deployed to Emergency Departments. This facilitates an onsite, rapid response to those who have self-harmed and/or are suicidal. It supplements and works with the Liaison Psychiatry Service to provide a bespoke response to those who are suicidal or have self-harmed.

- During the on call period i.e. between 5pm and 9am Monday to Friday and throughout the weekend period, there is a Consultant Psychiatrist together with a Psychiatric Registrar or Senior House Officer on duty in acute hospitals. This provides the urgent/crisis response to people presenting to Emergency Departments during the on call period. Since December 2014, this has been supplemented by the development of the Self-Harm Clinical Programme such that where two nurses are available, extended hours are provided to the Emergency Department.

- In addition, approximately half the areas within the country provide a seven day week contact point for existing patients within the mental health service. This is provided for existing patients who are thought to require additional follow-up particularly during Saturday and Sunday when there are no clinics operating. Such patients may attend a designated point such as a day hospital or alternatively the nurse may visit the patient at home.