HSE starts recruitment of suicide assessment nurses for Kerry, Limerick and four other regions

These nurses work in primary care mainly with patients in crisis referred on by their GP. File picture

Recruitment has started for suicide assessment nurses for six regions, including Kerry and Limerick, as part of efforts to address gaps in crisis care around the country.

The addition of six new teams will result in the HSE having 21 Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) teams across 18 counties. It is not yet known how long the recruitment process will take.

These nurses work in primary care mainly with patients in crisis referred on by their GP. 

It means patients who are suicidal but do not have a physical injury can avoid going to a hospital emergency department.

People working in mental health services have been sharply critical of reliance on hospitals to treat people in crisis, saying a busy ED is not the right place for someone in distress.

On Friday, minister of state for mental health Mary Butler announced recruitment is starting for six additional teams. Each team has two senior nurses.

Adult services will see new teams in Kerry, Limerick, Galway, Kildare and Dublin south. A specialist team for children will be linked to Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

She said this will “provide faster, more co-ordinated care for individuals in suicidal crisis". 

More funding needed

Ms Butler also said future investment will be needed so that “we achieve full national coverage for the service".

Mental Health Reform, a coalition of mental health organisations, has called for further funding into this service.

Its pre-budget submission noted 68 SCAN posts have been promised but only 32 were funded to that point.

Patients quoted in that submission complained about distressing experiences going to EDs in mental health crisis.

One person said: “Accessing acute care is an awful experience for the individual and the family. Attending A&E in psychosis for example is far from ideal...It is unfathomable to me that people would have to attend A&E and there is no dignity or care in that.”