Owenacurra's compliance rating higher than other mental health facilities offered to its residents

A sister of a resident of the Owenacurra mental health facility in East Cork has said: 'It leaves a bitter taste really. From my sister’s experience, she’s really thrived in that setting.'

The inspection of Owenacurra in November led to a compliance rating of 90%, its highest since 2018. File picture: Howard Crowdy

A sister of a resident of the Owenacurra mental health facility in East Cork has said “it doesn’t make sense” to close it down in the wake of an inspection report that gave it a 90% compliance rating.

Mary Hurley said the alternatives being offered for residents are “not comparable” with the Midleton centre in terms of compliance ratings, and the HSE has chosen to close down a service that was working very well.

“This confirms even more it was a decision taken with too much haste,” she said. “It leaves a bitter taste really. From my sister’s experience, she’s really thrived in that setting. I would’ve thought from a logical point of view you do everything to retain services like that.” 

She was speaking in the wake of the publication of inspection reports of Owenacurra by the Mental Health Commission.

The inspection of November led to a compliance rating of 90%, its highest since 2018. In comparison, alternative locations earmarked by the HSE for residents such as St Stephen’s and St Catherine’s have received lower marks in recent times, advocates said.

The Mental Health Commission report said: “At the time of the inspection, the approved centre was in the process of closing. A date for the closure for the approved centre was not provided to the inspection team.

Mary Hurley said: 'This confirms even more it was a decision taken with too much haste.' File picture: David Keane

“Six of the seven residents in the approved centre stated that they did not know when the approved centre would be closing or where they would be living following the closure. All six communicated this as a source of distress in their day-to-day living.”

Overall, the inspection report said that Owenacurra operated safe practices which reduced the risk of harm to residents, and staff provided therapeutic activities and physical health monitorng appropriate to the needs of residents.

It also said Owenacurra provided services in a way that met the needs of residents and their families. However, the commission also criticised the single rooms available on the premises as being too small.

Local councillor Liam Quaide, an active campaigner in the bid to retain Owenacurra, said this inspection report further reinforces the point that there is no justification to close the facility.

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“The notably high inspection compliance rating for Owenacurra in this latest report runs directly counter to the HSE's narrative that the service had to close, in large part due to MHC concerns,” he said. 

“It further highlights the moral absurdity of a closure that saw some residents transferred to inferior facilities, detached from their community, on the basis that they deserved better.”  He said he would appeal to the HSE to listen to residents and families, and “uphold their right to live in their community”.

Owenacurra had first been marked for closure in June of 2021 and had at that time a complement of 20 residents, most of whom had lived there for some time. While the facility has never closed, only six of its initial complement of residents now remain.

The closure received staunch opposition from within the community, and sparked a sustained media and political campaign in an attempt to reverse the decision. The HSE and Mental Health Commission have been contacted for comment.