THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) has “alienated” a group of consultant psychiatrists by publicly announcing the closure of an acute psychiatric unit without warning them of the decision, an independent report has found.
Former minister for health Mary Harney commissioned psychiatrist Dr John Hillery last March to review the decision-making process behind the closure of the 49-bed St Michael’s acute psychiatric unit in Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Inpatients at the facility were moved to Kilkenny.
In his report, which was published at the weekend, Dr Hillery said there was a history of “poor communication and poor governance in local mental health services in south Tipperary”, and this had adversely affected the delivery of services to patients for many years.
There was also, historically, a lack of investment in mental health services in the area, and “sidelining and disparagement” of consultant psychiatrists.
A public announcement of the closure of St Michael’s without warning the consultants had two damaging effects, according to Dr Hillery – it focused the debate on one unit rather than services in the wider area and “alienated” the consultants.
Consultants working in south Tipperary mental health services yesterday welcomed the report which, they said, “fully endorses the very serious concerns we have been outlining for several years”.
Psychiatrists Dr Alan Moore, Dr Caitríona Crowe, Dr Michele Brannigan, Dr Zubie O’Leary and recently-retired Dr Miriam Cussen said in a statement that the process followed by the HSE in coming to the closure decision was characterised by “a top-down dictatorial style of management”.
Dr Hillery has recommended the appointment of an outside, independent facilitator to work with a steering group set up to develop mental health services in south Tipperary and Carlow-Kilkenny.
Labour Party election candidate Senator Phil Prendergast said that the report showed dysfunctional management by the HSE. “A question mark still hangs over the intention to effectively dump users of our acute mental health services into the community with nowhere to go,” she said.
In a statement last night the HSE said it strongly rejected Ms Prendergast’s claim that patients were being “dumped”.
“This type of remark does a huge disservice to the staff and management of the mental healthservices and serves no purpose other than to cause undue alarm and concern to those who avail of those services,” it said.
It acknowledged that “service issues arose in the past because of poor communication and engagement with stakeholders”, but said considerable progress in addressing this had been made over the past 12 months.
It said consultants were fully involved in the setting up of new governance structures for mental health services in the region.