Inspection reports

Mental Health Commission publishes nine inspection reports

All reports show high levels of compliance with rules, regs and codes

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has this morning published nine inspection reports on approved inpatient mental health centres that show high levels of compliance with rules, regulations and codes of practice across all centres.

The reports released today focus on St Gabriel’s Ward at St Canice’s Hospital in Kilkenny (97% compliance); The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit at Merlin Park University Hospital in Galway (91%); the National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (86%); Highfield Hospital in Whitehall, Dublin 9 (94%); the Ashlin Centre in Beaumont, Dublin 9 (94%); the Phoenix Care Centre on the North Circular Road, Dublin 7 (88%); Deer Lodge in Killarney, Co. Kerry (91%); Bloomfield Hospital in Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin (94%); and Ginesa Suite at St John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin (94%).

Good practices and quality initiatives observed during the inspections included the implementation of a ‘magic table’ which uses specially-designed technology to help people with mid-to-late-stage dementia; the introduction of a therapy dog at one centre that attends on a weekly basis; the introduction of a patient mealtime experience project at another, initiated with the aim to develop ideas which could have a positive impact for residents in relation to the provision of meals; the completion of hand-painted wall murals inside and outside one centre to create a soothing environment for both residents and staff; while two centres had received a ‘Happy Heart’ award from the Irish Heart Foundation in recognition of their health-promoting menu for residents and staff.

It was also noted that another centre had a supply of gender appropriate comfort boxes for residents who did not have the opportunity to prepare essential comforts before arrival, with contents including personal hygiene items, under garments and toiletries.

Non-compliances observed during inspections included a high-risk non-compliance for the ordering, prescribing, storing and administration of medicines at St Gabriel’s Ward; a high-risk non-compliance for the regulation on premises at Bloomfield Hospital; a high-risk non-compliance on the rules on seclusion at Merlin Park; and a high-risk non-compliance on the regulation around staffing at Deer Park.

The MHC requires corrective and preventive action plans (CAPAs) from all services where non-compliances are identified, each of which must address each non-compliance specifically. The MHC monitors the implementation of these CAPAs on an ongoing basis and requests further information and action as necessary. Enforcement action is taken when the MHC is concerned that the care and treatment provided in an approved centre may be a risk to the safety, health and wellbeing of residents, or where there has been a failure by the provider to address an ongoing area of non-compliance. All critical risk issues are considered by the MHC’s Regulatory Management Team (RMT) as a matter of course.

 

Enforcement actions commonly arise from inspection findings, quality and safety notifications, and compliance monitoring. Enforcement actions available to the MHC range from the aforementioned CAPAs (at the lower end of enforcement) to removing an approved centre from the register and/or pursuing prosecution (at the higher end).

 

Links to the individual approved centre's reports

Link to the full statement Mental Health Commission publishes nine inspection reports

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