Inspection reports

MHC statement 25.03.2025 on publication of inspection reports for 10 approved mental health centres

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has published 10 inspection reports for approved inpatient mental health centres across Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin and Limerick.

The centres inspected were:

  • Bloomfield Hospital, Dublin 16, which achieved 94% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice.
  • the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Ennis Hospital, Co. Clare, which achieved 88% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Acute Psychiatric Unit 5B at University Hospital Limerick, which achieved 83% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Centre for Mental Health Care and Recovery at Bantry General Hospital, Co. Cork, which achieved 81% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • St Joseph's Intellectual Disability Service, Co. Dublin, which achieved 79% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • Linn Dara Child & Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit, Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10, which achieved 79% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • Eist Linn Child & Adolescent Inpatient Unit, Cork, which achieved 69% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24, which achieved 67% compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Department of Psychiatry at Letterkenny University Hospital, Co. Donegal, which achieved 62% compliance with the rule, regulations and codes of practice
  • the Acute Mental Health Unit at Cork University Hospital, which achieved 61% compliance with the rule, regulations and codes of practice

The inspector found varying levels of compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice. Four centres were found to be between 80-100% compliant; two were between 70-80% compliant; and four centres were between 60-70% compliant. 

Some areas of good practices observed over the course of the inspections included:

  • The Bloomfield De-Prescribing Quality Improvement Programme was underway at Bloomfield Hospital. This was an active project for the continuous monitoring of the health of residents who were being treated with doses of antipsychotic medication above the recommended dosage. Cultural and language exchange sessions were also being implemented at Bloomfield, involving an introduction to other languages as well as the knowledge of habits and customs in other cultures. 

Critical and high non-compliances observed during the inspections were:

  • Eight critical risk non-compliances with the regulations on food and nutrition; individual care plans; therapeutic services and programmes; general health; privacy; staffing; maintenance of records; and risk management procedures; and four high risk non-compliances with the regulations on residents; property and possession; premises; register of residents; and the code of practice on the use of physical restraint at the Acute Mental Health Unit at Cork University Hospital
  • Six critical risk non-compliances with the regulations on individual care plan; therapeutic services and programmes; premises; staffing; risk management procedures; and the rules governing the use of seclusion; and two high risk non-compliances with the regulations on general health; and the ordering, prescribing, storing and administration of medicines at the Acute Psychiatric Unit, Tallaght Hospital
  • Three critical risk non-compliances with the regulations on privacy; premises; and risk management procedures; and six high risk non-compliances with the regulations on individual care plans; therapeutic services and programmes; general health; staffing; with the code of practice on the use of physical restraint; and the code of practice relating to the admission of children at the Department of Psychiatry, Letterkenny University Hospital
  • One critical risk non-compliance with the regulation on privacy; and four high risk non-compliances with the regulations on residents’ personal property and possessions; premises; use of closed-circuit television; and risk management procedures at Linn Dara Child & Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit, Cherry Orchard
  • Seven high risk non-compliances with the regulations on therapeutic services and programmes; privacy; premises; staffing; risk management procedures; with the code of practice on physical restraint; and with the code of practice on admission, transfer and discharge at Eist Linn Child & Adolescent Inpatient Unit
  • Four high risk non-compliances with the regulations on premises; the ordering, prescribing, storing and administration of medicines; staffing; and with Part 4 of the Mental Health Act 2001(consent to treatment) at the Acute Psychiatric Unit 5B, University Hospital Limerick
  • Three high risk non-compliances with the regulations on privacy; premises; and the ordering, prescribing, storing and administration of medicines at the Acute Psychiatric Unit, Ennis Hospital
  • Two high risk non-compliances with the regulation on risk management procedures; and with the rule governing the use of seclusion at St Joseph's Intellectual Disability Service
  • One high risk non-compliance with the regulation on premises at the Centre for Mental Health Care and Recovery, Bantry General Hospital

Link to individual reports:

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