MHC statement on publication of inspection reports for five approved mental health centres
MHC statement on publication of inspection reports for five approved mental health centres
The Mental Health Commission has published five inspection reports for approved inpatient mental health centres across Donegal and Dublin.
The centres inspected were:
- St Aloysius Ward, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin 7, which received 85% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
- Le Brun House & Whitethorn House, Vergemount Mental Health Facility, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6, which received 83% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
- Phoenix Care Centre, Dublin 7, which received 79% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
- Department of Psychiatry, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, which received 71% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
- Department of Psychiatry, Letterkenny University Hospital, Co. Donegal, which received 61% compliance with the Rules, Regulations and Codes of Practice.
The inspector found generally low levels of compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice. Two centres were between 80-90% compliant, two centres were between 70-80% compliant, while a further one centre was between 60-70% compliant.
The critical and high non-compliances observed during the inspections were:
- Two critical risk non-compliances with the Regulation on premises, and risk management procedures; and one high-risk non-compliance with the Regulation on medication at Le Brun House & Whitethorn House, Vergemount Mental Health Facility.
- 13 high-risk non-compliances with the Regulations on food and nutrition; residents’ personal property and possessions; visits; searches; individual care plan; therapeutic services and programmes; privacy; premises; medication; staffing; risk management procedures; the Rules governing the use of seclusion; and the Code of Practice on the use of physical restraint at the Department of Psychiatry, Letterkenny University Hospital.
- Six high-risk non-compliances with the Regulations on individual care plan; therapeutic services; premises; medication; staffing; and Part 4 consent to treatment at the Department of Psychiatry, Connolly Hospital.
- Four high-risk non-compliances with the Regulations on therapeutic services and programmes; staffing; operating policies and procedures; and risk management procedures at Phoenix Care Centre.
- One high-risk non-compliance with the Regulation on staffing at St Aloysius Ward, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.
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 the MHC is concerned that the care and treatment provided in an approved centre may be at 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 inspection Reports
Le Brun House & Whitethorn House, Vergemount Mental Health Facility
Department of Psychiatry, Letterkenny University Hospital.
