Mental health service experiences surge in demand

A national mental health service has experienced a significant jump in demand, including from adolescents.

The 2012 annual report of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services recorded its biggest increase in the numbers presenting to their local, community-based service.

The independent organisation runs seven Dean clinics nationwide: five in Dublin and one each in Cork and Galway.

St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, founded more than 260 years ago by Jonathan Swift, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, accounts for 12% of the country’s in-patient care and treatment needs.

The report said there has been a significant increase in demand for services nationally with community Dean Clinic numbers increasing by 51% in 2012 (924 service users in 2011, 1,398 in 2012).

There were more than 2,800 adult inpatient admissions in 2012 while adolescent admissions increased by 10% for the year (78 in 2011; 86 in 2012).

A significant number of service users accessed daycare services also and this figure increased from 4,190 attendances in 2011 to 5,503 attendances in 2012 (up 31%).

“Research has shown that one in five of us will have a depressive disorder and that early intervention with young people is critical, especially before they reach their early 20s,” medical director Professor Jim Lucey said.

He said the Dean Clinic concept of community mental health services had proven to be more successful than they had even imagined at the outset.

“From small beginnings, we now have seven clinics — five in Dublin and one each in Galway and Cork — and all are providing a vital local service, which is highly appreciated by those suffering from mental health problems and their families,” he said.

St Patrick’s provides over a dozen specialised services, including programmes on Bipolar Disorders, Adult ADHD, Eating Disorders, Anxiety, Addiction and Young Adult programmes.

*www.stpatrickshosp.ie, [phone].