Fears for patients as psychiatric hospitals to close

VULNERABLE mental health patients could face early discharge or waiting lists for services if community care is not developed before the imposed closure of three old psychiatric hospitals, it has been warned.

The Mental Health Commission yesterday ordered that three old hospitals – St Ita’s, St Brendan’s and St Senan’s – long earmarked for closure should no longer admit new patients from February 2011.

Dr Siobhán Barry, external affairs and policy director of the College of Psychiatry, welcomed the move, but said there was a danger that patients could “fall between two stools” if other services were not developed in time.