A mental health service center in Cork has received the lowest score in the country for compliance with Mental Health Commission standards. The Commission’s 2023 annual report, released yesterday, highlights its efforts to promote high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services.
The report provides a detailed breakdown of compliance rates for all mental health centers in Ireland, with five centers achieving a perfect score of 100%.
In Cork, the Carraig Mór Centre in Shanakiel scored a commendable 96.67% compliance rate. Other Cork centers also performed well, with the Centre for Mental Health Care & Recovery in Bantry General Hospital, the Owenacurra Centre, and Cois Dalua, an independent center near Newmarket, scoring 90.00%, 89.29%, and 86.67%, respectively. The Eist Linn Child & Adolescent Inpatient Unit scored 80%, while St Catherine’s Ward in St Finbarr’s Hospital followed closely with 78.57%.
However, three Cork services were among the bottom 10 out of 65 centers nationwide. The Acute Mental Health Unit in Cork University Hospital received the lowest score in the country at 60%, a significant drop from its previous scores of 94% in 2021 and 79% in 2022. St Michael’s Unit in Mercy University Hospital scored 73.33% compliance, and the mental health units in St Stephen’s Hospital were marked at 70% compliance.
John Farrelly, CEO of the Mental Health Commission, noted that several acute inpatient center providers, particularly the Health Service Executive (HSE), are struggling to meet minimum regulatory standards in key areas such as staffing, care planning, risk management, and premises maintenance.
“The inspector has noted that lower standards of compliance in these areas lead to negative experiences for both patients and staff and are not compatible with a human rights-based approach,” Farrelly said.
In response, the HSE acknowledged the need for improvement in certain areas and announced that a detailed action plan is being developed to address the Mental Health Commission’s findings.
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