The HSE’s mental health service locally is falling short in almost every area of staffing levels.
A report by the mental health commission has found the Department of Psychiatry at St Luke’s Hospital is struggling to provide a comprehensive rehabilitation service.
The recommended nursing level for the local mental health unit is 50 nurses, but there are only around 18 at the moment.
There’s also no occupational therapist, and no Mental Health Intellectual Disabilitiy Team.
There’s insufficient social and low-supported housing to allow patients to move on to more independent accommodation as they progress through the rehabilitation service.
Ongoing issues with accessing home help, GP services, and dieticians were also highlighted.
The inspectors found there were four poorly staffed teams and no consultant psychiatrist.
They also said the lack of a Mental Health Intellectual Disability team is “discriminatory and affects the safety of those service users.”
However, the report did find that despite the lack of staffing, the rehabilitation teams are very hard-working in trying to provide the best service for people with mental illnesses.
