Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

401. To ask the Minister for Health is she aware of problems at St. James’s Hospital accident and emergency with regard to a lack of comfort and care for patients, particularly those undergoing mental health crises, a failure to provide medication and pain relief to patients in severe pain, poor communication and updates to patients and families, unhygienic and unsafe conditions, overcrowding, and long waiting times; if she has discussed these issues with the HSE, with the Health Information and Quality Authority, and with the hospital management; the steps she intends these agencies, the hospital and her Department to take to address the issues; and if she will agree to conduct a thorough investigation into the conditions and treatment at James Hospital accident and emergency department, with a specific focus on mental health care. [18227/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I would like to thank the deputy for this question and assure him that the Department and the HSE work closely with every Emergency Department to ensure the best quality of care for patients. St James’s Emergency Department is ranked as one of the top 10 busiest in the country with 14,808 attendances recorded at the end of March this year.

St James’s Hospital Emergency Department was inspected on the 29th of March 2023 by HIQA and was found to be partially complaint in the four National Standards assessed.

HIQA found that measures in place to support patient flow through the ED and wider hospital, were not fully effective. There were challenges with staffing, particularly with nursing grades, and there was a need for significant improvement in the uptake of mandatory training for nursing and medical staff. In addition, HIQA found that measures used to promote and respect the dignity, privacy and autonomy of patients were not fully effective.

Every HIQA report results in a compliance plan wherein the hospital sets out the measures that they will take to address the National Standards findings outlined by HIQA's report. The hospital works with HIQA and the HSE to complete the compliance plan. The Department will continue to work with the HSE to ensure the necessary supports are in place for the improvement of services for all patients in St James’s.

In the Mental Health Commission's recent report "Acute Mental Healthcare in Hospital Emergency Departments in Ireland" it was noted that there were approximately 2,200 mental health presentations to St James’s Hospital emergency department in 2023. Following assessment by emergency department staff, patients are appropriately referred to psychiatry. Referrals to psychiatry can be initiated concurrently with those for medical and surgical issues during daytime working hours. Additionally, a dedicated room is accessible at all times for individuals presenting with mental health distress symptoms at St. James's emergency department. A comprehensive biopsychosocial risk assessment is conducted in such cases, and psychology services play a role in group therapies and self-management groups when recommended by the emergency department.