Inspection reports

MHC statement 05.03.2025 on publication of inspection reports for five approved mental health centres

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has published five inspection reports for approved inpatient mental health centres across Galway, Kerry, Waterford and Dublin.

The centres inspected were:

  • Aidan’s Residential Healthcare Unit at Waterford Residential Care Centre in Waterford City, which received 100% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Acute Adult Mental Health Unit (AAMHU) at University Hospital Galway, which received 92% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • Sliabh Mis Mental Health Admission Unit in University Hospital Kerry, which received 91% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Adolescent Inpatient Unit (AIPU) at St Vincent’s Hospital Fairview, which received 84% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • St John of God Hospital in Dublin, which received 80% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice

The inspector found generally good levels of compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice. One centre was 100% compliant; two centres were between 90-100% compliant; and a further two were between 80-90% compliant.

Some areas of good practice observed over the course of the inspections included a collaboration by Aidan’s with Waterford Residential Care Centre, where the activity team supported residents to attend activities as appropriate; a ‘Safety Planning for Prevention Group’ at the AAMHU in Galway, which provided support and strategies for suicide prevention; and the introduction of antimicrobial stewardship education sessions for staff at Sliabh Mis, which aimed to improve and measure the appropriate use of antimicrobials by promoting the optimal antimicrobial course of treatment, dosage, duration of therapy, and the way in which the medication is taken.

The critical and high non-compliances observed during the inspections were:

  • Three critical and three high risk non-compliances with the regulations on premises, general health, individual care plan, staffing, risk management procedures and the rules governing the use of seclusion at St John of God Hospital 
  • Two high risk non-compliances with the regulation on premises and with the rules governing the use of seclusion at Sliabh Mis 
  • One high risk non-compliance with the regulation on individual care plans at the Adolescent Inpatient Unit (AIPU) at St Vincent’s
  • One high risk non-compliance with the regulation on privacy at the Acute Adult Mental Health Unit at University Hospital Galway

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).

Link to individual reports:

Link to the full statement: MHC statement on publication of inspection reports for five approved mental health centres

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