Brian McKenna secures Regional Health Forum backing for retention of services at St. Davnet’s Hospital

North Monaghan Sinn Féin Councillor and member of the HSE Regional Health Forum, Brian McKenna, successfully moved a motion to that body calling for the retention of the Admissions Unit and Day Care Centre at St. Davnet’s Psychiatric Hospital in Monaghan. Significantly the motion was passed unanimously by all the members present at the meeting of the forum held on Monday last.

In moving the motion Cllr. Mckenna stated that St. Davnet’s had a “proud record of service stretching back a long number of years to people in need of psychiatric support from the Cavan and Monaghan areas”. Referring to the document ‘a vision for change’ which recommends the integration of people with psychiatric illnesses into the community as opposed to the institutionalisation method Cllr. McKenna said that St. Davnet’s had led the way in this respect and indeed was now used as a template by the authors of that report.

According to the Sinn Féin representative “St. Davnet’s is now been made the victim of its own success. However many professionals within the psychiatric services still believe that there is still a need for an admissions unit at St. Davnet’s catering for people with severe problems or who have no family to support them in the wider community”.

He continued: “The proposed closure of the ‘Day Centre’ runs contrary to stated government policy as set out in the aforementioned ‘vision for change’ which encourages care in the community.” Cllr. McKenna called on the HSE to recognise the tremendous contribution that St. Davnet’s had provided and continues to provide to those in need of psychiatric services. He also stated that the fact that the Regional Health Forum had unanimously supported a motion calling for the retention of these services presented a challenge to the HSE and the government; “will they accept the wishes of the only democratic forum established under the HSE system?” he asked.

Ó Caoláin demands Ministerial intervention to stop “savage mental health cuts” in Co. Monaghan

Sinn Féin Health spokesperson and Cavan-Monaghan TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has revealed that the HSE is planning to close the 12-bed Admissions Unit and the Day Centre for patients with mental illness at St. Davnet’s Psychiatric Hospital in Monaghan town.

The Sinn Féin Dáil leader has called on the Minister of State for Mental Health, John Moloney TD, to intervene immediately to prevent what Deputy Ó Caoláin described as “savage cuts to mental health services” in County Monaghan.

Deputy Ó Caoláin said:

“It was disclosed within the HSE North East this week that the HSE is planning to close the 12-bed Admissions Unit at St. Davnet’s Psychiatric Hospital in Monaghan and to move the unit to Cavan General Hospital. This would be a severe blow to services for people with mental illness in Co. Monaghan. It would also mean further pressure on already over-stretched services in Cavan.

“I understand that a second severe blow is planned by the HSE with the proposed closure of the Day Centre at St. Davnet’s. This Centre caters for people living in the community and it is a vital facility. Its closure would run totally contrary to Government policy as set out in A Vision for Change which encourages care in the community rather than institutionalisation. It would remove from people those vital supports that assist them to live normal lives in their communities.

“It is estimated that mental health services are to be cut by some €5 million in Cavan and Monaghan in 2010. These savage cuts to mental health services must be stopped. I have today written to the Minister of State for Mental Health, John Moloney TD, to demand his immediate intervention to stop the HSE from going ahead with these cuts.

“Last year I led a cross-constituency delegation of my party, including the then Mayors of Counties Monaghan and Cavan, on a visit to St. Davnet’s when we presented a strong case for the retention of the Admissions Unit at the St. Davnet’s campus. We will work with determination, and with all who genuinely share our stated objective, to try to ensure that the axe does not fall on yet another vital health facility in County Monaghan.”