The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) has strongly condemned the closure of 11 of the 23 beds in the Linn Dara, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Cherry Orchard, Dublin.
The HSE confirmed that the beds would remain closed until at least September due to staff shortages.
PNA General Secretary Peter Hughes said it was inexplicable how the HSE has allowed the beds at Linn Dara to close in the light of the ongoing and worsening crisis in the provision of CAMHS services nationally.
READ MORE: Fears fifth wave of Covid on the way for Ireland as first case of new variant of concern identified
He called on the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to ensure that resources are put in place to ensure these beds are re-opened.
Mr Hughes said: “Linn Dara Day plays a vitally important role in the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in the greater Dublin region.
“A similar decision to close beds in this unit was made in 2017 and was met by widespread shock and opposition. It now appears that five years on that nothing has been learned and we find ourselves in the same position again.”
He added: “We really have to ask what it takes for the HSE, to realise the extent of the CAMHS crisis in the country when they can embark on the removal of these 11 beds from the system.
“The HSE says the reason for this decision is nursing shortages. The nursing complement for the in-patient unit is 51, however, at present, there are only 24 nurses employed for the unit - a shortage of 27 nurses.”
Mr Hughes said one of the effects of the receding of Covid is the opening of international borders for our recent nursing graduates to emigrate once again.
He says this is causing a recruitment and retention crisis, particularly in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Mr Hughes said: “While PNA recognise the ongoing difficulty in the recruitment of nurses the response of the Government and HSE cannot be to simply reduce services.
“The situation at Linn Dara is one more graphic illustration of the crisis in the recruitment and retention of psychiatric nurses which is the direct result of poor HSE planning and HSE must now come forward to target solutions and incentives to encourage the recruitment and retention of nurses to adequately staff CAMHS services.
“This reduction in beds will further exacerbate an already unacceptable waiting list for CAMHS and will ultimately lead to an increase in the inappropriate admission of children and adolescents to adult mental health units.
“In fact, for the next four months there will only be 56 operational beds in CAMHS in the entire country, which is just over 50% of the 100 beds recommended in mental health strategy Vision for Change (2006.).”
The HSE has said the reduction is short term and will be reviewed on a weekly basis, with the intention to return to full capacity at the earliest opportunity.
It said the capacity issue is not related to any funding difficulties but is due to challenges in hiring and retaining nursing staff at levels necessary to operate Linn Dara at full capacity while maintaining necessary standards of care and safety for patients.
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
