Extracts of reports from the Inspectorate of Mental Health Service on psychiatric facilities during 2009
St Brendan’s Hospital Dublin – 82 beds: “Many residents were wandering around the unit on the day of inspection, apparently aimlessly . . . The centre was not compliant with over half of the regulations inspected and it continued to be of concern to the inspectorate that residents remained accommodated, cared for and treated in such unsuitable premises.”
St Ita’s Hospital Dublin – 125 beds: “It is difficult to convey the extent of dilapidation of the St Ita’s Hospital building. Long corridors in poor conditions, toilets with no privacy, paint peeling, mould in showers, broken furniture, ill-fitting doors, cramped dormitories, the smell of urine, poor ventilation and a bare, drab environment were evident.
“It appears that there was no funding to rectify the poor sanitary conditions in some wards. It should be acknowledged that people live in these appalling conditions and that there were little or no plans evident to rectify the situation.”
St. Loman’s Hospital Mullingar – 115 beds: “It continued to be of concern to the inspectorate that residents remain accommodated, cared for and treated in such unsuitable premises and that this situation was likely to continue, as no funding had been made available by the HSE to rectify the situation.
“St Edna’s and St Anne’s wards are in poor condition and unfit for human habitation and should be decommissioned as a matter of urgency.”
Central Mental Hospital Dundrum – 93 beds: “It was most unsatisfactory that there appeared to be little prospect of providing modern . . . in-patient accommodation in the foreseeable future. There appeared to be a continuous battle to keep the fabric of the current building intact and allow the building to be habitable.
“However, the presence of dirt and malodorous smells in Unit 4 was not excused by the poor condition of the building.”
Mid Western Regional Hospital (acute psychiatric unit 5b) Limerick – 50 beds: “There were 11 detained patients in the unit on the day of inspection . . . It appeared to the inspectorate on the day that a number of residents seemed to be without activities and were lying on their beds or sitting around.
“ . . . It was of concern to the inspectorate that children continued to be admitted to this adult unit in such numbers.”
Cappahard Lodge Ennis – 35 beds: “There was a lack of managerial and clinical leadership. This resulted in policies not being signed, residents not receiving active and timely reviews and a complete lack of clarity on who was to perform physical examinations. Local systems for management and review of risks were absent. In a single small centre, two separate and complex medication systems were in operation.”
St Senan’s Enniscorthy – 102 beds: “The continued use of institutional care setting for people with an intellectual disability and those with enduring illnesses was of concern. There were 15 residents with an intellectual disability across two wards on the day of inspection. A significant number lacked any capacity to make informed decisions about their care and treatment.
“They were not detained and in the absence of any capacity legislation had no legal protections for their rights.
”. . . There had been significant improvement in the quality of clinical care over the past few years.”
Mater Hospital (acute psychiatric unit, St Aloysius Ward) Dublin – 15 beds: “It was disappointing to note that for the past three inspection reports there had been only minimal improvement noted in the provision of individual care plans and therapeutic programmes. Non-compliance with the rules on the use of mechanical restraint, seclusion and ECT was of concern and was in breach of the rights afforded to residents as part of the Mental Health Act, 2001.
“The centre was compliant with 25 out of 30 regulations.”