Children placed in adult mental health unit

Two children in urgent need of in-patient psychiatric care were admitted to the adult service at Cork’s Mercy University Hospital because there were no beds available in the child and adolescent mental health services.

The placing of the children at St Michael’s Unit at MUH was criticised by the Inspector of Mental Health Services who said the unit was “unsuitable for the admission of children” in his latest inspection report, published yesterday.

Even though the inspector recommended last year that the HSE address the lack of beds in the service, he said the problem remained for children with mental illness.