MINISTER OF State for mental health services Kathleen Lynch is to meet consultant psychiatrists from the southeast next week to discuss the HSE’s planned closure of a 49-bed acute psychiatric unit.
The meeting takes place on Wednesday when consultants concerned about the plans for St Michael’s unit in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, due to close next spring, will ask the Minister to approve an “interim suspension” of the shutdown plans.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny met a delegation of doctors and public representatives during a visit to Clonmel last week and heard a presentation on the recent development of South Tipperary General Hospital, described as “its evolution into one of the busiest and most innovative centres of its kind” by the Clonmel-based Save Our Hospital Action Committee.
Among those at the meeting with the Taoiseach were local TDs Tom Hayes, Mattie McGrath, Paudie Coffey and Séamus Healy, who is also chairman of the committee; Senator Denis Landy; consultant physician Paud O’Regan; consultant psychiatrist Alan Moore; and consultant surgeon Peter Murchan.
The consultants outlined the “strong and interactive relationship” between South Tipperary General and St Michael’s Acute Psychiatric Unit, the committee said in a statement.
The doctors involved are unhappy about the HSE’s plans to close St Michael’s by the end of next March and replace it with a “crisis house” and a home-based treatment team, with back-up from day hospitals in Cashel and Kilkenny. Inpatient beds for north Tipperary are being transferred to Ennis later this year and those for south Tipperary will be transferred to Kilkenny by next spring, under the HSE’s plan.
According to the consultants, the crisis house will not address the needs of acutely suicidal or disturbed patients and they also say the development of day hospitals and home treatment is behind schedule.