Prohibited transfers highlight breaches at mental health facilities

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has identified several breaches of conditions of registration, including prohibited patient transfers prompted by bed shortages, at State-run psychiatric facilities.

The watchdog found psychiatric patients were being transferred from the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) at University Hospital in Ennis to another facility to alleviate bed shortages despite such transfers being prohibited and not in patients’ interests.

The MHC has also flagged problems with the physical conditions of some of the facilities and gaps in the implementation of several policies.