20 areas of non-compliance identified in LUH Department of Psychiatry

An inspection report carried out at the Department of Psychiatry at Letterkenny University Hospital has found 20 areas of non-compliance, one of them critical and eight of them designated as ‘high’.
The commission has published timescales for these issues to be addressed, with measures set to be put in place in the coming months to address the issues.

There are 24 designated beds at the centre, 30 of which were occupied when the unannounced inspection took place at the end of June. Seven of those patients were restrained.
Incidents of non-compliance were rated high in eight areas, including use of Electri-Convulsive therapy, staffing, risk management and complaints procedures.
Critical issues were identified in relation to the implementation of Individual Care Plans.
The inspection team found that while there was a written policy in relation to health and safety, as well as a safety statement, all staff did not have up-to-date mandatory training in a number of areas including fire safety and basic life support.

The inspection found although the centre was attached to Letterkenny University Hospital, the hospital did not provide a medical emergency response team, meaning that an ambulance had to be called when a medical emergency occurred.
 
Report in full –
http://www.mhcirl.ie/File/2017IRs/DOP-Letterkenny-IR-2017.pdf