IrishMedicalNews

Consultant opposes unit closure

Written by Paul Mulholland Monday, 08 February 2010 14:27

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The decision to close St Michael’s psychiatric unit in Clonmel is “unsound and unreasonable”, according to a local consultant psychiatrist.

Under the HSE’s plan, the 49-bed unit will transfer on a phased basis to the Department of Psychiatry at St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny next year.

The HSE states that the transfer will not take place until a 24 hour, seven day a week home based treatment team, to provide community care in the catchment area, is established.

The decision was made, according to the HSE, in line with recommendations in A Vision for Change, and the Section 55 Mental Health Commission report last year, which found that St Michael’s was unfit for purpose.

However, consultant psychiatrist in the unit, Dr Alan Moore believes that HSE management is selectively quoting from the two documents in order to justify the closure.

“A Vision for Change does recommend a reduction in inpatient beds, but only if sufficient community resources are put in place,” Dr Moore told IMN.

“We have called for this for many years and haven’t been listened to. Also the Commission report says that the unit is unfit for purpose, which we have also stated on numerous occasions yet were never provided us with additional resources. The report never recommended closing the unit.”

Dr Moore states that consultants in the Hospital were never consulted about the decision and says that no full option appraisal took place.

One alternative option, he suggested, was that the unit could be slimmed down to 25 beds, with additional psychiatric supports delivered in the community.

He says that moving the whole unit to Kilkenny would disrupt the continuity of care provided to patients and would prove a huge inconvenience to their families.

The consultants were due to meet Mental Health Minister John Moloney to discuss the issue at the time of going to press.