Beds go unused at teen psychiatric units due to staff shortages

Vulnerable youngsters are being turned away from psychiatric units with room to care for them because of staff shortages, the Dáil heard.

Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien raised concerns that beds were going unused despite a six-month waiting list for care.

“A report by the Inspectorate of Mental Health Services found that children and teenagers needing psychiatric care are being denied admission to facilities while beds within some of those facilities go unoccupied as a result of staff shortages.

“It is estimated that, at times, up to half of the beds in these facilities are not being utilised,” the Cork TD said during Leaders’ Questions.

Mr O’Brien warned the situation was impacting badly on people needing help.

“As recently as December, the mental health inspectors expressed concern over the welfare of a vulnerable child in the Cork area who was admitted to an adult psychiatric unit. They described the appalling situation where the child in question was left isolated in a bedroom, with no therapeutic intervention apart from medication,” he said.

He also warned that children were being moved far from their home areas to get help. “We have had cases where parents of vulnerable children are being asked to send their children from the Munster region to facilities in Dublin. In one such child and adolescent unit in Cork, for example, only 12 of the 20 beds available within that unit were being utilised last March.

“This was despite the fact 15 people were waiting to be admitted on the day the inspectorate visited that unit. That is unacceptable.”

Mr O’Brien expressed fears the situation could impact on the country’s high suicide rate.

“Ireland has the fourth highest suicide rate in the EU for those aged between 15 and 24. It is simply unacceptable to have a situation where facilities that are in place to help young children and adolescents who are suffering from mental health issues are not fully utilised.”

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore insisted the Government had invested resources into psychiatric care and suicide prevention.

“It is fair to say the area of mental health has been an area of our health services which has not received sufficient attention.

This Government, however, has decided to give the issues of mental health a very high priority. A special allocation of €35m for mental health was announced in budget 2012. That was used primarily to further strengthen community mental health teams in both adult and child mental health services,” Mr Gilmore said.

“Some 414 mental health posts were approved as part of budget 2012 and, as of Apr 30 this year, 383 posts have been filled, are under offer or are awaiting clearance. The annual budget for suicide prevention increased in 2012 to over €12m.

“A total of €7.1m is administered by the National Office for Suicide Prevention,” he said.