The local Department of Psychiatry had the highest number of child admissions to an adult unit last year.
That’s included in the Mental Health Commission’s report for 2023 which has been published today.
It shows that due to a lack of bed availability within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or CAMHS, there were 14 child admissions to an adult unit between January and December of last year – three of them to the D.O.P. at St Luke’s General Hospital with one more admitted to University Hospital Waterford’s.
The report also outlines that the Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) Area 5, which covers Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford and South Tipperary, had the second highest number of serious reportable events at 19% of those logged – including three sexual assaults, two patient protection events, and three other incidents though it doesn’t break down at which of the facilities these occurred.
However, compliance with regulations across CHO5 was also second highest in the country at between 78.5 and 100% with St Gabriel’s Ward at St Canice’s Hospital deemed to be over 96% compliant and the DOP at St Luke’s at 90%.
