Plans for new psychiatry unit at Roscommon University Hospital delayed
Plans have gone back to the drawing board, with a new 50 bed unit now planned.
Plans for a new psychiatry unit at Roscommon University Hospital have been further delayed, the Herald has learned.
Last summer the Roscommon Herald was told that a business plan for a new 35 bed psychiatric unit had been complete, but now these plans have gone back to the drawing board, with a new 50 bed unit planned.
Last week, after questions from the Roscommon Herald on foot of a freedom of information request, the HSE said that the original business plan is now being reviewed.
“The original business plan for this project was developed for a new 35 bedded Unit for Roscommon,” a spokesperson said. “Following further engagement and discussion with HSE National Estates, it was agreed that we would further review our bed requirements to include future planning and population expansion requirements.” The spokesperson added the next steps are to develop a design brief and operational policy, both of which are currently being worked on for a new 50 bed unit for Roscommon.
“It is expected that the project will be ready to submit for national approval later this year,” the spokesperson concluded.
The need for a new building has been recognised by everyone including the HSE for years, particularly in light of the need for more bed capacity at the unit. The unit’s infrastructure has also been repeatedly criticised by regulator, the Mental Health Commission The latest inspection report carried out at the facility by the Mental Health Commission and published late last year, showed that the compliance rate at the unit was now at its lowest in five years.
The unannounced four-day inspection in May last found that the current compliance rate stands at 73% compared to last year’s figure of 75%, and the 2022, 2021 and 2020 rates of 88%, 88% and 94% respectively.
The inspection team found that the 24-bed unit, located on the ground floor at the rear of Roscommon Hospital, was non-compliant with minimum standards in nine areas of the regulations, rules and consent to treatment.
Particular areas of concern included rules governing the use of seclusion, which the report described as “critical”. Other areas of concern included privacy, staffing and consent to treatment.
