The MHC expressed its concern that while progress in the performance and quality of care in approved centres throughout the country has been made, considerable improvements are still necessary.

Dr Susan Finnerty, Assistant Inspector of Mental Health Services summarised the report’s findings on Cork by saying, “In North Cork there was little change in the service planning from 2006. There appeared to be on-going debates about beds and catchments of origin and had been a suggestion that North Lee and North Cork may integrate.

“However it was very plain that his had not progressed in any meaningful way and differing opinions were very evident. High-level decisions obviously need to be taken in order to provide a comprehensive mental health service to both these catchments.”

“In North Lee the development of a new sector team was welcome, but the continued absence of rehabilitation team and psychiatry of later life team was of concern.  A large number of the beds in Carraig Mór were occupied by residents who do not require this service and their needs could be met elsewhere.”

She added, “In terms of South Lee it was obvious that this service cannot progress any further in improving the availability of a mental health service and that current level of staffing remains pitifully low.   “There had been no progress in providing a community mental health service in line with national policy, there had been no progress in providing a rehabilitation service and community support for service users currently ready to move to the community and out of hospital, and there had been no progress in decommissioning the very inadequate admission unit and providing a suitable unit in its place.”

On West Cork she said, “The community mental health services in West Cork were providing a comprehensive service despite lacking certain multidisciplinary team members. The logistics of delivering a mental health service to such a geographically difficult area must be taken into account by providing essential staff for community teams to allow service users to access mental health services. The admission unit remains unsuitable and alternatives for acute admissions in West Cork must be considered.”

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