Proposed mental health service needed for 'many years'

A Cork TD has cautiously welcomed the proposal of a new 75-bed acute mental health service in the city.

Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide said the facility proposed by the HSE for the St Stephen’s Hospital, Glanmire campus, has long been needed in the area.

The proposal was confirmed by HSE senior management at a recent Oireachtas members’ briefing. The new service would serve both the North Lee and North Cork catchments.

It is understood that one of the designs being considered involves three separate facilities of 25 beds each which would replace the existing acute unit for North Cork at St Stephen’s. It would also provide a new purpose-built service for North Lee, whose current inpatient unit at St Michael’s in MUH cannot be brought up to proper standards due to site constraints.

Deputy Quaide, who worked as a clinical psychologist in the North Cork mental health services from 2013 to 2021, said: “The need for a safe, modern, and therapeutic acute service for these communities has been evident for many years.”

The North Lee and North Cork catchments hold a combined population of almost 285,000 according to Deputy Quaide, who is his party’s spokesperson on mental health and disability. The North Lee catchment encompasses the city north of the river as well as Macroom, Blarney, Cobh, Carrigtwohill, Midleton, and Youghal. North Cork includes Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Mallow, Charleville, Kanturk, and Newmarket.

Deputy Quaide continued: “If the grounds are not excessively hard-landscaped to accommodate the elective hospital development, they could provide significant therapeutic benefits through access to nature.

“It is essential that inpatients are not overly concentrated in one area, and that bed allocation between North Cork and North Lee is fair and consistent.

“In addition, public transport links to the hospital require major improvement to ensure this location is genuinely suitable for a large new acute mental health service,” he added.

Deputy Quaide also said that clear communication is needed on the future role of St Michael’s, where costly renovations are underway despite the HSE’s position it will not be viable for long-term acute mental health provision.