A NEW INSPECTION of mental health facilities around Ireland has found two facilities with ‘high’ risk ratings attached to certain areas of their service.

These two facilities are An Coillin in Mayo, where deficiencies were noted in the premises provided for residents, and the St Michael’s Unit in the Mercy University Hospital, where failures were noted in how physical restraint is applied.

This comes as part of a range of inspections carried out in 10 mental health facilities around Ireland by the Mental Health Commission.

What were the ‘high’ risk ratings given for? 

At An Coillin, which has 22 residents, the feedback was generally positive.

Although it was noted that staff had not received training in relation to processes for maintaining the facility, it was also said that they were aware of what they had to do.

It was also said that the “premises was clean throughout” and that the interior was “clean and brightly lit”.

The report on An Coillin in Mayo Mental Health Commission Mental Health Commission

However, one major downfall was highlighted that required the facility to be given its ‘high’ risk rating.

Three of the patients’ rooms were found to have “ligature anchor points which had been partially removed but left exposed”.

A ligature point is defined as a feature that may facilitate a person attempting to die by suicide through hanging.

At St Michael’s Unit in Mercy University Hospital, Co Cork an issue with physical restraint related to the training of staff.

The training of all but two staff members was found to be out of date when it came to physically restraining patients.

Mercy University Hospital Google Maps Google Maps

The inspection report noted that there were clinical files on two patients who had been physically restrained and that in both these cases the dignity and safety of residents had been respected – however, regardless of this, a ‘high’ risk rating had to be given for the deficiencies in training.

What else did the report find? 

The inspections were carried out in November of last year and applied both compliance ratings and risk ratings.

The compliance ratings ranged from ‘non-compliant (negligible)’ up to ‘compliant (excellent achievement)’ while the risk ratings went from ‘low’ to ‘critical’.

No facility received a risk rating of ‘critical’ in any area.

Only one centre, St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin, was found to have no areas of non-compliance.

The Mental Health Commission regularly inspects facilities around the country and publishes its reports in full on its website. 

Read: LGBT teenagers are three times more likely to attempt suicide

Also: ‘Imagine being suicidal and waiting hours and hours for help’