Inspection reports

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

The MHC has published 10 inspection reports for approved inpatient mental health centres across Clare, Galway, Kerry and Dublin.

The centres inspected were:

  • Deer Lodge, Co. Kerry, which received 100% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.
  • Lois Bridges, Dublin 13, which received 100% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
  • National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre, Dublin 4, which received 100% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.
  • St Patrick’s University Hospital, Dublin 8, which received 100% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
  • Willow Grove Adolescent Unit, Dublin 8, which received 100% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.
  • Creagh Suite, St Brigid’s Healthcare Campus, Co. Galway, which received 97% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.
  • St Aloysius Ward, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin 7, which received 88% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
  • Acute Psychiatric Unit, Ennis Hospital, Co. Clare, which received 74% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.
  • Ashlin Centre, Dublin 9, which received 73% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.
  • The Ginesa Centre, St John of God University Hospital, Co. Dublin, which received 71% compliance with the Rules, Regulations, and Codes of Practice.

The inspector found varying levels of compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice. Six centres were between 90-100% compliant; one centre was between 80-90% compliant; and a further three centres were between 70-80% compliant.

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

  • In January 2026, the new ‘Pillars of Wellness’ digital booklet was launched and made available to the residents of St Patrick’s University Hospital through their ‘patient portal’. Developed in collaboration with residents, it gives residents flexible, ongoing access to psychoeducational content that supports mentally healthy living and recovery.
  • A short-term admission bed initiative was introduced in Deer Lodge for psychiatry of later life community residents to provide temporary respite care to prevent hospitalisation and to support families.
  • There was strong leadership, a high level of multi-disciplinary collaboration and a culture of positivity at Creagh Suite. Feedback from the residents’ families was very positive regarding the care and treatment at the centre.
  • Willow Grove Adolescent Unit, in partnership with youth mental health campaign ‘Walk in My Shoes’, launched an educational webinar series for schools in response to a survey highlighting anxiety among young people and a call for more training of school staff.
  • The National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre introduced an exercise and healthy movement programme as an integral component of eating disorder recovery. The initiative focused on the safe restoration of muscle mass, improving physical function, and promoting recovery-oriented physical activity in a structured, therapeutic, and person-centred manner.

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

  • One critical-risk non-compliance with the Regulation on risk management procedures; and five high-risk non-compliances with the Regulations on searches; individual care plan; privacy; premises; and maintenance of records at The Ginesa Centre, St John of God University Hospital.
  • Seven high-risk non-compliances with the Regulations on food and nutrition; food safety; individual care plan; privacy; premises; ordering, prescribing, storing and administration of medicines; and risk management procedures at Acute Psychiatric Unit, Ennis Hospital.
  • Four high-risk non-compliances with the Regulations on premises; staffing; and risk management procedures; and the Rule on use of seclusion at the Ashlin Centre.
  • One high-risk non-compliance with the Regulation on maintenance of records at Creagh Suite, St Brigid’s Healthcare Campus.

The MHC requires corrective and preventive actions 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 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 reports

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