Cork mental health centre ‘not kept in good state of repair internally’, report finds

A mental health centre in West Cork was temporarily closed after issues with its premises were identified in an annual inspection for the fifth year in a row, it has emerged.

A report from the Mental Health Commission into the Centre for Mental Health Care and Recovery, located in Bantry General Hospital, shows that the centre has been marked as not compliant in the area of premises every year since 2019.

The centre, which was inspected in October 2023, was rated as ‘high risk’ in this area.

The report stated the centre was not entirely clean, there was “an offensive odour in one toilet and shower room”, and rooms were not adequately ventilated.

Additionally, the centre “was not kept in a good state of repair internally, as chipped paint, marked doors, and torn lino was evident”.

Appropriately sized communal rooms were not provided, one sitting room area for all residents had only eight chairs on inspection — not sufficient to accommodate the approved centre’s full capacity of 15 residents — though only nine residents were there at the time of inspection.

One bedroom was in temporary use as a four-bed room, and the inspector noted that the space in this room was insufficient, with beds too close together.

“Sufficient spaces were not provided for residents to move about in” in the centre, the inspector also wrote.

Meanwhile, ligature points — meaning anything that could be used to attach a cord, rope, or other material for the purpose of strangulation — were not minimised to the lowest practicable level based on risk assessment.

There were a further three non-compliances in the areas of staffing; the ordering, prescribing, storing and administration of medicines; and the code of practice relating to admission of children under the Mental Health Act.

A comprehensive refurbishment program of works addressing communal space, ligature risk, and to enhance the environment and ventilation of the centre commenced in 2023.

Phase 1 of the works was completed in September 2023, and Phase 2 commenced on October 18, 2023, with the temporary closure of the unit.

The centre is due to reopen on July 31 this year.