Eating disorder centre had no input from medical specialist

An inspection of Ireland’s only dedicated residential centre for the treatment of eating disorders found it had no input from a medical specialist or medical facility.

The Lois Bridges centre in North County Dublin was also criticised for not having a psychiatric nurse on duty at all times. In addition, inspectors from the Mental Health Commission found the “skills and expertise of staffing were not adequate for the care and treatment of a resident with severe mental illness” and, critically, “there was no admission criteria to ensure that residents were not admitted if too physically or mentally ill to be treated in Lois Bridges”.

Other deficits identified during the inspection last March included: