Woman detained in inappropriate psychiatric hospital for four years

The absence of an appropriate unit in the State for medium term secure detention of women with serious mental health difficulties, but not so severe as to warrant detention in the Central Mental Hospital, has been highlighted in a High Court case.

The judge was dealing with the case of a woman, a ward of court with paranoid schizophrenia, who has been involuntarily detained under court orders for more than four years in the acute admissions unit of a psychiatric hospital.

A consultant psychiatrist involved in her treatment agreed with another psychiatrist that the admissions unit — a mixed ward where very agitated, intoxicated, and disturbed persons are occasionally treated — is not appropriate for the woman.

There is no other appropriate facility, the psychiatrist told Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns.

The court heard the woman, who has had psychiatric hospital admissions since the 1980s, is permitted to leave the hospital unaccompanied for a maximum two hours twice weekly but must be accompanied by either family or staff any other time.

The psychiatrist said it was her opinion the woman met the criteria for detention under the Mental Health Acts. His view was her condition had deteriorated in recent months and she would be unable to cope if she lived outside the hospital.

A solicitor representing the woman said a report concerning her position had stated her involuntary detention should be a framework for progression of her care and not just to maintain the status quo.

The psychiatrist said the intention was to try and achieve a position where the woman would be capable of living independently with supports. That would take a minimum six months. Mr Justice Kearns agreed to continue an order detaining the woman, who was in court for the heraing, in the acute admissions unit for another six months.