Merlin Park University Hospital’s child and adolescent psychiatric unit praised for introducing five key initiatives in new report
The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has published nine inspection reports on approved inpatient mental health centers which show high levels of compliance with rules, regulations and codes of practice across all centres.
The child and adolescent mental health unit at Merlin Park University Hospital in Galway achieved a compliance rate of 91%.
According to the report, inspectors observed that the Galway unit had introduced five quality best practices and initiatives.
Among them, the unit introduced a therapy dog who attends the center on a weekly basis.
Additionally, a reception area has been refurbished with new furniture and a coffee machine, led by the Trauma Information Committee to provide a welcoming space.
New vehicles were purchased to allow young people to participate in their outings, and training was provided by clinical staff, including behavioral family therapy, development of trauma-informed practices, cognitive therapy skills and behavioral, venipuncture and wound care, to improve care and treatment skills and practices. young people.
Finally, a new sensory room was in progress at the time of the inspection with an expected completion date of summer 2023.
Non-compliances observed during inspections included high-risk non-compliance with isolation rules.
The report indicates that the isolation room did not have an anti-barricade door and did not have access to suitable toilets.
Inspectors found that all furniture and fittings in the isolation room were not of such design and quality as to ensure the safety of a resident in isolation, due to the hard flooring .
Additionally, the isolation room did not have externally controlled heating or air conditioning, which meant that people observing a resident could not monitor the temperature of the room.
The MHC requires Corrective and Preventive Action Plans (CAPA) from all departments where nonconformities are identified, each of which must specifically address each nonconformity. The MHC monitors the implementation of these CAPAs on an ongoing basis and requests additional information and action as necessary.
Enforcement action is taken when the MHC is concerned that care and treatment provided at an approved center may pose a risk to the safety, health and well-being of residents, or when the provider has failed to resolve a problem. persistent problem of non-compliance. -compliance. All critical risk issues are naturally reviewed by the MHC Regulatory Management Team (RMT).
Enforcement actions typically arise from inspection results, quality and safety notifications, and compliance monitoring. Enforcement actions available to the MHC range from the aforementioned CAPAs (at the lower end of enforcement) to removal of an approved center from the register and/or initiation of prosecution (at the higher end). .
Reports also focused on St Gabriel’s ward at St Canice’s Hospital in Kilkenny (97% compliance); the National Eating Disorders Recovery Center in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (86%); Highfield Hospital in Whitehall, Dublin 9 (94%); the Ashlin Center in Beaumont, Dublin 9 (94%); the Phoenix Care Center on North Circular Road, Dublin 7 (88%); Deer Lodge in Killarney, County Kerry (91%); Bloomfield Hospital in Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin (94%); and Ginesa Suite at St John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin (94%).
