George Lawlor demands 10-bed mental health unit for Wexford

Thank you. I am very pleased to support this motion. It contains some excellent proposals, many of which I know that you would take on board and agree with. Recall the commitment in the Government's mental health policy, sharing the vision, a mental health policy for everyone to provide appropriate mental health emergency facilities in every hospital and calls on the Government to require every Model 3 and Model 4 hospital to have a dedicated mental health emergency room separate from chaotic emergency departments. And I know you are familiar with the situation in my own County of Wexford, one of the most populous counties in the region heading for 180,000 people with a terrific general hospital there but simply no facility to cater from an acute point of view for people with mental health difficulties. If you arrive between nine and five in Wexford General Hospital you will be seen by a psychiatric nurse, excellent staff working to the pin of their collar but after 5.30 there is nobody. At weekends there is nobody, you will be seen on Monday. You may be referred to the psychiatric unit in Waterford Regional Hospital but as you know whilst the staff are doing an excellent job there it is not fit for purpose, it is not fit to meet the needs of the entire region which is essentially being forced upon it as we speak. I am told if you are referred to Summer Hill, the HSE unit in Summer Hill in Wexford that you might have to wait up to three months to receive an appointment from if you are referred by a doctor or indeed the hospital. I am also told that there is an excellent psychiatrist there and I have written to you in recent times on this issue that has not been retained by the HSE. Now whether that is the physician's own personal choice or whether she simply hasn't been retained by the HSE I think that is something that needs to be investigated because I have had numerous families and parents in particular contact me to say that this person really provided excellent care for the people who attended. There is also I believe no sign of the 54, the promised 54 bed unit in Waterford coming on stream but what we require in Wexford, what we require in Wexford as you know with a population of 180,000 people is a dedicated 10 bed unit adjoining Wexford General Hospital in alliance with the acute facilities there. It is urgently required. We are a county that is above the national average in terms of suicide. There is a serious mental health crisis in County Wexford. There is a serious mental health crisis in CAMS in County Wexford. I was recently approached by two young people who gave testimonies to me which I will send on to you decrying the service that they received there. I know you'll always get good and bad and you'll probably hear more of the bad but where people are not being cared for in the manner that you would expect particularly in the area of CAMS that is certainly something that must be altered and changed. About 13 years ago myself and some friends led by a man called Frank Flanagan in Wexford Town set up a group called Wexford and Marine Watch. Very simply we do suicide prevention patrols in Wexford Harbour and Wexford Bridge area because there was almost an epidemic of use of Wexford Bridge for self-harm or attempted suicide. We have literally encountered hundreds of people during our time since our establishment and in some instances we refer we give vouchers to these people to attend it's good to talk counselling in Wexford town we've come to that arrangement and it's worked very well but we've also seen situations where we've intervened with people and the Gardaí have come along and cared very well for the people and they have been brought to Waterford and almost just discharged almost the next day despite the fact that they're in a clear crisis. As I said it is my belief and the belief of many people in Wexford that Waterford and these are people who've interacted with the psychiatric unit in Waterford that it is not fit for the demand that is there from across the region. We worked very closely with Waterford Marine Search and Rescue who are very helpful and I know you'll agree do terrific work. We've assisted Cladowatch and Galway in its establishment but the intervention of these organisations opens our eyes to the reality of what's on the ground in terms of people who are in crisis and we're only one organisation that's being in touch. So I'd urge you Minister the 10 bed acute unit for Wexford General Hospital is not too much to ask in terms of the mental health crisis that our county is facing for a population of 180,000 people or thereabouts. Please Minister intervene and provide that for the people of Wexford. Thanks Deputy Lawler.