Placing of children in adult mental health units slammed by MHC

The placing of children in mental health units meant only for adults has been sharply criticised by the Mental Health Commission (MHC).

In a series of inspection reports, the MHC was extremely critical of a number of units in Cork, Limerick, Dublin and Kerry for a range of issues, including the poor state of the premises, lack of cleanliness, and a policy of moving patients out of wards at night in order to free up a bed.

The policy of “sleeping out”, or transferring residents between units at night, was noted in St Stephen’s Hospital in Glanmire in Cork.