THE HSE HAS said data on the total number of people presenting to emergency departments with a mental health crisis is not available. 

Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane had asked the HSE in a parliamentary question for the number of people admitted and referred to other services and the number who had left a hospital emergency department before being seen or discharged.

However, the HSE has said the information is not available, and it only collects data on the number of patients presenting to hospital accident and emergency departments with self-harm and suicide-related ideation. 

Criticising the lack of data, Cullinane said the HSE has made it clear that other mental health crisis presentations, such as psychosis, panic attacks or postpartum depression, are not included and cannot be inferred from their dataset.

The HSE did state that hospital emergency departments “prioritise and treat the most unwell patients and those with life-threatening illnesses first”. 

The HSE also outlines the emergency care pathway for people presenting in crisis, including triage, emergency medicine assessment, referral to specialist mental health services where appropriate, and a decision to admit or discharge with follow-up care.

The HSE reported that 19,177 presentations to 24/7 emergency departments involving self-harm or suicide-related ideation were recorded in 2024.

Of those, 2,779 admissions were made to an approved mental health centre and 14,522 referrals were sent to other services following assessment.

1,583 people presenting with suicide ideation left before assessment or before recommendations could be made, the HSE said. 

Other mental health presentations other that self-harm

However, Cullinane said the parliamentary reply he received reveals a “significant blind spot in how we measure mental health emergencies”.

“The HSE cannot provide full and comprehensive data on the number of people presenting to emergency departments in a mental health crisis, or on what happens to many of those patients once they present. 

“What we do know is deeply concerning. More than 19,000 presentations for self-harm and suicide-related ideation were recorded in 2024 and over 1,500 people left emergency departments before assessment or before recommendations could be made,” he said. 

Without full and comprehensive national data, the Waterford TD said the government cannot properly plan services, identify where pressures exist, or measure whether people in crisis are getting the care they need.

“We need better data collection, stronger community mental health services, and specialist crisis supports that reduce reliance on overcrowded emergency departments and ensure people receive timely, appropriate care,” he added. 

The Journal Investigates reported in February that hundreds of patients died by suspected suicide shortly after being in contact with healthcare services in Ireland. 

Documents obtained by The Journal Investigates show that 449 suspected suicides were recorded on the HSE’s internal reporting system between 2022 and 2024.

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Emergency department care

Mental Health Minister Mary Butler acknowledged last year that “faster and better coordinated responses” for people when they present to emergency departments with a mental health crisis are needed. 

The Mental Health Commission published a report last year that warned of substantial delays, especially for ‘out-of-hours’ mental health assessments.

The report found that people with mental health presentations have to “compete for attention in the crowded emergency department space”.

Earlier this month, the minister announced the commencement of recruitment for 10 specialist mental health nursing teams that will strengthen crisis supports out-of-hours in emergency departments across the country.

The teams, comprising Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), will provide specialist support to people presenting to emergency departments in mental health crisis.

The following hospitals will receive a new team of four staff members – two AANPs and two CNSs:

• Tallaght University Hospital
• St James’s Hospital
• Mater Hospital
• Beaumont Hospital
• St Vincent’s University Hospital
• Waterford University Hospital
• University Hospital Limerick
• Cork University Hospital
• Mercy University Hospital
• University Hospital Galway

If you need to talk, contact:

Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie
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Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)