Louth TD calls for urgent reform of emergency health services

Sinn Féin TD for Louth Joanna Byrne has called for urgent reform of the state’s emergency mental health services.

It comes ahead of a Sinn Féin motion on the matter which is set to go before through the Oireachtas. 

Deputy Byrne revealed that there is just one Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse in County Louth.

“There are currently 11 counties without a Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service. This postcode lottery means your access to life-saving mental health care depends on where you live. This is completely unacceptable."

She said eight emergency departments (EDs) do not have appropriate spaces for mental health crisis assessments. 

Deputy Byrne also said Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda does not have its Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry team available outside of certain working hours, leaving out-of-hours mental health patients being assessed by standard ED nursing staff or being transferred to the Drogheda Department of Psychiatry (DOP) for further assessment in their department. 

She said the Sinn Féin proposal is "about ensuring that every major hospital has a dedicated mental health emergency room, staffed by specialist professionals, and separate from the chaos of general
EDs."

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Mary Butler, Minister of State at the Department of Health said the SCAN service is a "critically important safety net for people in suicidal crisis". 

Responding to a question from Fianna Fáil TD for Louth Erin McGreehan, Minister Butler said there is the intention to expand SCAN services to provide full coverage nationwide.