Groups fight for psychiatric unit

The closure of a psychiatric unit at South Tipperary General Hospital will cause irreparable harm and hardship to patients, their families, and those working in the local mental health services, the President of the High Court heard yesterday.

The claim has been made in proceedings brought by two community groups, Save our Acute Hospital Services Ltd, and the Cashel Action Committee, against the health minister, the HSE, and the State. The groups want to prevent the closure of the 29-bed St Michael’s acute psychiatric unit in the Clonmel hospital.

The groups brought their action after it was announced that patient admissions to the unit were due to cease and the unit be closed by the end of last month, with patients transferred to St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny. In their action, the residents say the proposed closure and transfer of acute services from the hospital breaches a 1996 agreement that acute hospital services for South Tipperary would be located in Clonmel.

In the proceedings, the HSE has denied breach of the 1996 agreement and claims the closure is part of the Government’s Vision for Change programme.

Counsel for the groups, Michael Counihan SC, told the court that many parties, including several medical practitioners, feared the closure and transfer of facilities would have a serious impact on some of the most vulnerable people in society. Counsel also submitted that the proposed closure would not result in any savings.

Counsel for the HSE, Peter Finlay SC, said his client rejected all of the groups’ claims.

The case continues.