Staff embargo puts mental health project under 'serious pressure'

AN AWARD-WINNING Connemara community mental health project is said to be under “serious pressure”, due to the continuing embargo on staff recruitment within the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Rev Anthony Previté, chairman of the Clifden Mental Health Service, said the staff embargo was making it almost “impossible” to maintain the high standards set by the Sycamore House and Elm Tree day support centres in Clifden.

Sycamore House residential and Elm Tree day centre, along with several independent units, were founded by Connemara Sheltered Housing Association Ltd, of which Rev Previté is also chairman.

The sheltered housing association was initiated in 1992 to provide housing for the psychiatric sector in the local community.

It serves a swathe of Connemara from Carna to Leenane, with a population of 9,000 that has experienced a growing multi-cultural demographic.

Support is given to 65 clients who might otherwise be forced to seek help in overbooked facilities in Galway or further east.

Last week, Clifden Mental Health Service won a “best overall service” award, presented by Minister of State for Health Kathleen Lynch and conferred by the National Service Users’ Executive (NSUE).

The NSUE noted that rural services “seemed to fare far better than densely populated urban ones”, in also selecting Mallow, Co Cork and Carlow, along with Clifden.

“By setting up our project, we have saved the State a fortune, yet the current HSE staff recruitment embargo is now putting it under serious pressure,” Rev Previté said yesterday, noting that former health minister Mary Harney had ringfenced nursing staff there.

Sycamore House should have 5.6 nurses, but it is down to three and is about to fall to two, he said.

Elm Tree day care centre has two nurses and nine care workers.

HSE West said that while it was “aware of the implications of a reduction in staff throughout the health services”, it was “engaging with staff representatives under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement to ensure that services will continue at Elm Tree and Sycamore House for the foreseeable future.”