Capacity issues highlighted at Mayo psychiatric unit

A PSYCHIATRIC patient spent three nights in an extra bed in the middle of a five-bed ward with no curtains or privacy due to over-capacity problems at the acute mental health unit in Mayo University Hospital Hospital, Castlebar.

The centre, which has 32 beds, has a “significant difficulty” with over-capacity, according to inspectors from the Mental Health Commission, who carried out an unannounced inspection of the premises last October.

The executive clinical director said the focus of the service was not to refuse anyone who needed to be admitted.

This problem was compounded by admitting people from the emergency department immediately the decision to admit is made.

Two other residents were admitted on October 12 and spent the night in a sitting room, contravening the regulation for privacy.

Management responded by saying they had a plan of care to “ensure respect and privacy” is protected at all times.

The inspection report was otherwise largely positive.