Inspector of Mental Health Services Professor Jim Lucey says there should be a mental health nurse on duty in hospitals at all times.
It’s after a report published by the commission this morning found a ‘huge disconnect’ between the Emergency Department and mental health services at Letterkenny University Hospital.
Dr Lucey told Highland Radio News the situation in Letterkenny University Hospital is typical of Model 3 hospitals across the country in terms of the disparity between the responses to physical issues as opposed to mental ones………..
You can hear a longer discussion with Professor Lucey here –
1. Letterkenny University Hospital
Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) is a Model 3 HSE hospital with a 24/7 emergency department.
A CLP service provides assessments in the emergency department and to acute medical wards. This team includes a self-harm CNS and an alcohol liaison CNS.
In 2023, approximately 900 patients with mental health needs presented to LUH emergency department.
The emergency department does not have an established process for identifying mental health patients who require access to the CLP.
The care pathway for a patient with a mental health problem may include the emergency department staff contacting either the liaison/self-harm CNS on duty or the mental health NCHD on-call. The inpatient DOP provides mental health services to patients within the hospital.
CLP staff in the emergency department comprise one (1 x 1.0 WTE) consultant psychiatrist, five (5 × 1.0 WTE) CNSs (one perinatal, two self-harm, two liaison), and one shared (2 × 0.5 WTE) alcohol liaison CNS. The self-harm CNS post is currently vacant.
At all hours, patients with symptoms of mental distress have priority assessment. In daytime working hours (from 8am to 5pm), CLP nurse consultation is also available.
The LUH emergency department no longer provides a dedicated room for patients with symptoms of mental distress.
Addiction services therapies/groups are available to patients elsewhere in the hospital.
Patients presenting with symptoms of mental health distress may be referred onwards by staff in the emergency department or by CLP nursing, if seen by them.
The survey respondent highlighted the lack of appropriate facilities for mental health staff in the emergency department, specifically a lack of access to an appropriate assessment room.
The response described a “distinct disparity” in the way mental health patients are treated and pointed out a “huge disconnect” between the emergency department and mental health services.
Glossary –
