Mice cause closure of young people’s psychiatry service

A HSE clinic dealing with children and adolescents with psychiatric problems has shut its doors because of a mouse infestation.

Following yesterday’s closure clinicians at the South Tipperary child and adolescent psychiatry service have had to cancel several appointments due to have gone ahead this week.

Staff hope that working conditions at the clinic will return to normal by Monday and that they will be able to deal with emergency psychiatry cases in temporary accommodation in the meantime.

The infestation has lasted for several weeks but, with no progress being made to deal with the issue, staff decided yesterday morning to close the clinic.

They are said to be “absolutely frustrated” with the situation and didn’t want to bring children into such an environment until the problem was dealt with.

It was felt that it would be unsafe to expose children using the premises to unhygienic surroundings and possible infection through mouse droppings.

Parents of clinic patients were informed of appointment cancellations, and assurances have been made that the problem will be sorted out by Monday and that the building will be cleaned to prevent further incidents.

The clinic, located on Clonmel’s Coleville Road, is the main public centre for young people’s psychiatry services in south Tipperary. It has now been sealed and exterminators have been called in.

According to consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Shauna McCarthy, the problem had to be dealt with but is a temporary one. “We have confidence that when we re-open, the issue will be resolved. Management have assured us that they will organise a very intensive cleaning operation and that the whole place will be cleaned from top to bottom. Hopefully that will start early next week.”

She emphasised that patients and their parents will have nothing to fear in relation to hygiene issues when the clinic re-opens.

A HSE spokesperson confirmed yesterday evening that they decided to temporarily close the premises on Coleville Road “for health and safety reasons.

“Whereas some routine appointments may have been deferred and rescheduled, no emergency services were affected.”