Call for 24-hour care for people in crisis

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting

Wexford town-based Cllr Raymond Shannon is calling for a psychiatric inpatient unit to be added to the new 97-bed unit being built in Wexford, to provide 24-hour care for people in crisis. 

A well-known advocate for 24/7 mental health services and staff in Co. Wexford, Cllr Shannon was addressing the issue at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council.

“It wouldn’t be a massive cost; we just need to have psychiatrists on call 24/7 to support the people who need it,” he stated.

Cllr Shannon said that while there is a letter from the Minister stating that 24-hour mental health services are available in Wexford, this is not the case.

He stated that the reality is that Wexford lacks the resources to provide adequate mental health care on a 24/7 basis. The waiting times for services, such as those at Summerhill, can stretch up to two to three months, which is unacceptable for someone in a mental health crisis.

Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler TD, has formally addressed a letter regarding the allocation of Mental Health services in Wexford, on behalf of the members of Wexford County Council.

Minister Butler confirms that University Hospital Waterford’s 44-bed Acute Inpatient Mental Health Unit serves as the approved inpatient centre for Waterford and Wexford.

The Department of Psychiatry provides inpatient assessment, treatment, and care to individuals residing in the Wexford area.

In Co. Wexford, health services are available 24 hours a day through CAREDOC, the GP out-of-hours service; the Emergency Department at Wexford General Hospital; or the local mental health service.

The Minister states that individuals from Wexford can go to the Emergency Department at Wexford General Hospital to be assessed by Mental Health Liaison staff. If inpatient admission is necessary, the staff at Wexford General Hospital will coordinate with the Department of Psychiatry in Waterford to arrange the transfer.

Enniscorthy has a 10-bed respite unit (An Tearman) and various staffed community residences for daily support. The community team operates from Enniscorthy Primary Care Centre at Blackstoops.