Inspection reports

Mental Health Commission publishes three inspection reports for inpatient centres

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has this morning published three inspection reports for approved inpatient mental health centres in Dublin and Cork. 

The reports published today focus on Willow Grove Adolescent Unit at St Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin (100% compliance); the Jonathan Swift Clinic at St James’s Hospital, Dublin (91% compliance, an increase of 7% on 2022); and the Carraig Mór centre in Shanakiel, Cork (91% compliance, a decrease of 3% on 2022). 

Quality initiatives observed during the inspections included the introduction of a restrictive practice reduction committee to maintain a culture of least restrictive practice; a safeguarding and assisted decision-making information session for staff; while one centre introduced a parenting support group, in which parents heard other parents’ stories and gained support. 

Noting the increase in compliance at one centre, and 100% compliance in another, the Director of Regulation at the Mental Health Commission, Gary Kiernan, said: “Increased and full compliance – particularly when it is maintained over the course of consecutive years - not just demonstrates a centre’s commitment to maintaining standards of care, but it is also testament to individual teams’ efforts to continuously improve the quality of service and that is very encouraging to see.

“However, critical and high-risk non-compliances identified with the regulations on premises and risk management at another centre are always concerning as they impact on the safety, dignity and human rights of patients, and are therefore subject to the MHC’s continuous monitoring and enforcement processes,” he added. 

Non-compliances observed during the inspections included: 

  • one critical risk non-compliance with the regulation on premises, and one high risk non-compliance with the regulation on risk management at the Jonathan Swift Clinic 
  • one moderate risk non-compliance with the regulation on premises, and with the rules on the use of seclusion at Carraig Mór

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 might 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 Individual Reports: 

Link to full inspection statement Mental Health Commission publishes three inspection reports for inpatient centres

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