Madam, – It is 19 years since I resigned from my post as senior speech and language therapist at St Ita’s hospital in Portrane. At that time I wrote to this publication expressing my distress and concern at the condition of the people who lived there as patients.
I cannot express the deep sadness and despair I feel to read such a letter again this week (February 9th). So much has changed in the 19 years since I returned from working in the UK; an idealist with great optimism seeking out a job where I thought I could make change in the lives of the most marginalised in our society.
As a staff group we were often overwhelmed by the needs around us. I remember beginning with tooth-brushing programmes because I felt even if my clients could communicate no one would want to remain long enough in their company to talk to them given the condition they were in.
I failed. We continue to fail. Many things have changed for the better at St Ita’s, but they have not changed enough. Through the ups of the Celtic Tiger days and the downs of recent times one thing clearly remains consistent: our prejudices, our unwillingness to show respect and concern for those of us who experience mental illness.Shame on us. – Yours, etc,