CUH unit worst for critical non-compliances

The mental health unit in Cork University Hospital had the highest amount of critical non-compliances and was the second least compliant centre in Ireland overall last year, new figures show.

According to the Mental Health Commission Annual Report 2024, published on Friday, Cork mental health centres were 74% compliant in 2024, below the national average which was 83%.

There are a total of 262 mental health inpatient beds in Cork across eight centres, with 226 HSE-funded adult beds and 16 CAMHS, with an additional 20 beds in a private centre.

Overall, the Carraig Mor Centre, Centre for Mental Health Care & Recovery in Bantry General Hospital, independently-owned Cois Dalua and St Michael's Unit in the Mercy University Hospital all had compliance ratings over 80%.

St Catherine's Ward in St Finbarr's Hospital had a rating of 75%, Eist Linn Child & Adolescent In-patient Unit had a rating of 73%, Units 2. 3, 4, and Unit 8 (Floor 2) and St Stephen's Hospital was 67% compliant.

The Acute Mental Health Unit, Cork University Hospital, was 60% compliant, the second lowest rating in Ireland, with only the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane, which houses forensic patients, scoring lower.

CRITICAL

The report shows that the Acute Mental Health Unit in Cork University Hospital had 13 total non-compliances, with 8 rated critical, the highest number of critical ratings for any Irish centre in 2024, as well as four rated high and one rated moderate.

The annual report into the centre, published earlier this year, showed “unprecedented” critical breaches in areas including food and nutrition, therapeutic services, individual care plans, general health, privacy, staffing, maintenance of records and risk management procedures.

St Michael’s unit had one critical non-compliance, four high risk and two moderate, the St Catherine’s ward also had one critical rated, as well as three rated high, two rated moderate and two rated low risk.

St Stephen’s Hospital had 14 total non-compliances, five rated high risk and nine rated moderate, and Eist Linn Child had seven non-compliances with a high risk rate, two rated moderate and one rated low.

Bantry had one high, four moderate and one low risk non compliances, Carraig Mór had only one non-compliance rated high, while Cois Dalua had two moderate rated and one low rated.

Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler said that the report “rightly highlights areas requiring further attention in a small number of approved centres”, but added “I am encouraged by the positive developments described”.

She welcomed the decrease in episodes of seclusion and restraint, a reduction in the amount of children admitted to inpatient mental health centres, as well as the high compliance for some centres, but said “there is clearly more work to be done by the HSE to ensure this is replicated in every centre”.