Patients denied essential therapies

A mentally ill patient with a persistent choking problem was denied access to essential speech and language therapy as the HSE did not have a service for adults in mental health facilities.

The issue arose in relation to a patient at St Brigid’s Hospital in Ardee, Co Louth. The Inspector of Mental Health Services said the patient was “unable to gain an appointment by virtue of the fact that the resident was residing in a mental health facility”. The treatment was refused by the HSE’s speech and language therapy (SLT) service in Dundalk.

The revelation is in a report by the inspector which also found funding issues had held up specialist treatment — electroconvulsive therapy, an electric shock treatment alleged to induce symptom remission — for three patients at St Brigid’s.