Louth TD calls for dedicated mental health emergency rooms in hospitals

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

A Louth TD has called for the government to establish dedicated mental health emergency rooms in hospitals, as well as specialist professionals to deal with crisis issues emerged this week

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú highlighted the need for specialised care for mental health in A&E departments during a debate in the Dail last week.

He said emergency departments are “not the place for those with mental health problems.”

A Sinn Féin motion put forward would, he argued. mean that there is adequate staff on a twenty four hour a day basis, in an appropriate setting, away from the ‘absolute chaos’ that is emergency medicine.

Deputy Ó Murchú said there were particular issues in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and mental health services have spoken to hospital management. He said he hoped an arrangement can be made later this year that there will be “some sort of 24-7 facility within the hospital for proper assessments.”

He added: “At times, people get sent over to DDOP in Crosslanes and the problem is that is an operating hospital, so people may have to wait a huge length of time and that does not work.

“The Minister met the group regarding Maxi’s law. We need to see not only community and early interventions but we also need to see emergency beds as we do not have a sufficient number in our area.

“There are ten beds promised as an extension at Crosslanes and also in relation to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. We need to see the primary care setting in Dundalk to ensure the community services we have are at least in appropriate accommodation”.