Local Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne has called for urgent reform of the state’s emergency mental health services, warning that current crisis care arrangements are failing people and placing lives at risk.
Speaking ahead of a Sinn Féin motion on emergency mental health services, Deputy Byrne said the government’s approach is not working and continues to leave vulnerable people without appropriate support.
Teachta Byrne said:
“Every year, tens of thousands of people present to emergency departments (EDs) in a mental health crisis.
“People experiencing suicidal ideation and severe mental distress are having to turn to chaotic and overcrowded EDs that are simply not designed to meet their needs.
“This is the result of years of government failure to properly fund and deliver mental health services in the community and in acute settings. When vital supports such as crisis teams, therapy services, out of hours care and safe crisis spaces are missing, people are left with no option but to turn up at EDs.
“There are currently 11 counties without a Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service. This postcode lottery means your access to life-saving mental health care depends on where you live. This is completely unacceptable.
There is 1 Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse in County Louth.
“Eight emergency departments do not have appropriate spaces for mental health crisis assessments.
In our local hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry team is not available outside certain working hours.
Out-of-hours acute mental health patients in Drogheda emergency department are assessed by standard emergency department nursing staff and, depending on their clinical urgency, transferred to the Drogheda Department of Psychiatry (DOP) for further assessment in their department.
“Sinn Féin’s proposals are about fixing and reforming the system, not just managing its failures.
“Our PMB is about ensuring that every major hospital has a dedicated mental health emergency room, staffed by specialist professionals, and separate from the chaos of general EDs.
“Our motion also sets out a long-term vision for specialist mental health crisis centres, and making use of more local hospitals to provide local crisis services outside of the overcrowded major hospitals.
“People who are in distress need a calm and safe environment, where they will be seen in a timely manner. The last thing they need is to be left wandering ED corridors alone.
“Dedicated mental health emergency rooms save lives.”
Deputy Byrne said urgent action is required to ensure consistent, safe and specialist mental health care is available to people experiencing crisis, both locally and nationwide.
