Owenacurra resident being moved to ward previously slated by mental health watchdog
The Owenacurra Centre in Midleton Co Cork was earmarked for closure in June 2021. Picture: Howard Crowdy
A resident of the Owenacurra mental health facility in Cork is to move to a ward at a different hospital — one whose standards have faced heavy criticism from the mental health watchdog.
The has learned that one of the remaining residents of the facility, which was controversially slated for closure in June 2021, is being moved to Unit 3 at St Stephen’s Hospital near Glanmire.
In March of this year the Inspector of Mental Health Services voiced his “serious concerns” over the same unit, after a report found the facility had been slow to address critical and high-risk non-compliances.
The hospital had been subject to a string of inspections by the Mental Health Commission. Issues identified during those inspections included fire safety problems and a system of governance for Unit 3 which was described as “inexplicable”.
Owenacurra was initially marked for closure by the HSE after being deemed no longer fit for purpose, for issues including fire safety, due to the cost of renovating the centre being prohibitive.
“The centre must close because the current building is not suitable and cannot be brought to the standard needed and that you deserve,” Kevin Morrison, the acting head of Cork/Kerry mental health services, said in a letter to residents and their families in June of last year.
The closure had initially been scheduled for the end of October 2021. However, the centre remains operational with no replacement having been found for the remaining residents and in the face of strenuous local opposition from the families of those still in situ.
Local councillor Liam Quaide said he has written to the Mental Health Commission to “highlight the chaotic and clinically retrograde service arrangements for remaining Owenacurra Centre residents”.
Just nine residents remain in Owenacurra of the 19 who had lived there at the time the closure was announced.
“The closure itself is based on the assertion that the residents deserve a better facility,” Mr Quaide said, adding that he has “major concerns” about some of the alternative placements being offered to residents at present — including St Stephen’s, similar ward-base settings at St Finbarr’s Hospital, and temporary accommodation at the HSE-rented Garnish House in Cork city.
“From the announcement of the closure last June the Commission wrote to the HSE asking for a clear service plan,” Mr Quaide added, stating that none had been forthcoming.
A spokesperson for the HSE said: "We cannot comment on individual cases or the number of residents remaining at this facility in order to protect their identity.”
They reiterated that Owenacurra remains an “inappropriate setting”.
“Our consultant led team continues to work with residents and families to access the most appropriate alternative settings based on individually assessed need,” they added.
Some relatives of Owenacurra residents have suggested in recent times that the expedited attempts to move them to properties such as St Stephen’s are aimed at closing the Midleton facility before the Dáil returns in September to avoid additional scrutiny from the Oireachtas.
The HSE spokesperson did not directly address this suggestion.
Last month a relative of one Owenacurra resident wrote to the chief officer of HSE Cork/Kerry Michael Fitzgerald to express their “upset” after their sibling was brought to St Finbarr’s Hospital without the family’s knowledge on July 26.
They said the trip to St Finbarr’s “again shows a blatant disregard for the welfare” of their sibling, and that the move had resulted in the Owenacurra resident becoming “so worked up and worried”.
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