Young people ‘wrongly in mental hospitals’

MORE THAN 1,000 young people with intellectual disability and chronic illnesses have been wrongly placed in mental hospitals, according to the Disability Federation.

Around 500 of these people have never even undergone a psychiatric evaluation, said the federation’s chief executive, John Dolan, a member of the Eastern Region Health Authority.

He said the forthcoming Disabilities Bill must include a charter of rights for those with intellectual disabilities or other chronic conditions.