Workers oppose move of mental health acute unit
HSE PLANWATERFORD RELOCATION
Wednesday March 10 2010
WEXFORD MENTAL health workers are poised to oppose any move to shift the St. Senan's Hospital admissions unit to Waterford Regional. Psychiatric nurses union S.I.P.T.U. believes that the move is under active consideration by the H.S.E. but local organiser Pat Cody has warned that it will be resisted by his members.
'An acute mental health unit must be retained within County Wexford,' Cllr. Cody insisted. 'Any move to leave Wexford without such a unit would be a disgrace and totally uncaring to the needs of service users and their families in the future.'
Staff have accepted that the facility for dealing with emergency cases will be switched eventually to Wexford General but, with Government finances in trouble, there is no sign of any space becoming available there. About 20 nurses are deployed dealing with troubled patients at the unit which is made up of St. Anne's and St. Claire's wards in Senan's. The old style Victorian era hospital on the outskirts of Enniscorthy is being gradually run down, one of fourteen such building across the State in line for closure.
Where there were 172 beds there in the year 2002, now there are about 100, not all of them filled most of the time. Many former patients now attend day centres in the main towns around County Wexford or living in hostels provided by the mental health service. But there is always a requirement for an acute unit to deal with emergencies.
'I don't see any logic in moving it all the way to Waterford,' said Pat Cody, pointing out that for families in North Wexford, for example, Waterford is a long journey away.
A statement issued by the Health Service Executive this week read: 'the H.S.E. is currently reviewing psychiatric acute bed capacity. Following this review a decision will be taken on the development and reconfiguration of acute services, including those in Wexford.'
