The PNA said today (Wednesday) it was dismayed and extremely disappointed after the breakdown of talks (under the auspices of the WRC) yesterday with the HSE on the opening of the new acute mental health admission unit at University College Hospital Galway (UCHG).
The PNA said the collapse of the talks resulted from the HSE insistence that it would open just 45 of the 50 beds earmarked for the new Unit. This is in direct violation to the agreement on the closure of 22 beds in Ballinasloe in 2014 when management outlined that 50 beds would become operational in Galway.
During the failed negotiations, the PNA highlighted huge concerns over the high level of bed occupancy within the existing unit, and the absence of service developments such as homebased treatment, crisis intervention teams and 24/7 mental health services that would lead to a reduction in bed occupancy.
PNA Industrial Relations Officer, Rory Kavanagh said:
‘The 2015 HSE Review of Roscommon Mental Health Services, which was a shocking indictment of management of the services, showed that €17.6million was handed back to the HSE in the period 2012-2014 at a time when there was compelling evidence of the under-investment in the mental health services in the West to meet the targets set out in the government's Vision for Change mental health strategy.'
‘The intransigent position now being adopted by the HSE, which clearly reneges on previous commitments, will be shown to be a ‘lost opportunity' to address the demand for beds within the UCHG services, especially in the absence of community services as envisaged for the West in Vision for Change .
‘There is absolutely no justification from a patient centred, clinical governance, health and safety and best practice perspective, for the HSE decision to open just 45 beds in UCHG, and the PNA is calling on the HSE to reverse that decision and enter further meaningful negotiations to find an agreed solution to meeting the demand for acute services in the new unit.'
NOTE TO EDITORS :
In an address to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Mental Health Care on 18 th January, 2018, Mr Tony Canavan HSE Chief Officer for CHO 2, which includes counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon told the Committee
‘We are also in the process of completing the development of a new 50 bed inpatient unit on the grounds of Galway University Hospital and minor capital works are taking place across a range of facilities in Castlebar and in Roscommon.'
You can read the full debate at
;http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeetakes/FMJ2018011800002?opendocument#C00100),
Media Contacts: Rory Kavanagh 086-3871429, Derek Cunningham 086-2430535
