The quality of mental health care in hospital emergency departments depends on where you live.
A new report shows substantial variations in services provided in ED’s all across the country – especially for out-of-hours assessment.
A national survey by the Inspector of Mental Health Services shows 51,000 people annually access mental health services for the first time through a hospital emergency department.
There were 330 mental health assessments in the emergency department of St Luke’s Hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny.
It found that mental health patients presenting with self-harm and suicidal ideation, perinatal mental health difficulties, eating disorders, substance misuse disorders, and young adults aged between 18 to 25 were prioritised at the hospital.
The Consultation Liaison Psychiatry (CLP) team at St Lukes were commended for its excellent service, while a business case has been submitted to the HSE for a dedicated CLP psychiatry service at St Luke’s Hospital.
