Multiple issues identified during a 2024 inspection remained unresolved midway through 2025\n<\/p>\n
Internal records show that multiple issues identified during a 2024 inspection by the Mental Health Commission (MHC) remained unresolved midway through 2025.<\/p>\n
The north Dublin campus opened three years ago and was described by then health minister, Stephen Donnelly, as \u201cstate-of-the-art\u201d and a \u201cmajor achievement\u201d.<\/p>\n
The MHC inspection found the hospital was compliant with just 51pc of the regulations examined and resulted in an Immediate Action Notice, a highly unusual step for a new-build facility.<\/p>\n
In correspondence obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the hospital acknowledged the \u201cstark findings\u201d and said it was \u201cvery challenging and disappointing\u201d to have fallen short of minimum standards.<\/p>\n
It said extensive work had taken place but that a number of issues were still listed as \u201cin progress\u201d well into 2025.<\/p>\n
These include procedures around patient admission, transfer and discharge, records management, the delivery of therapeutic services and works to parts of the hospital building, including cracking floor surfaces.<\/p>\n
The records also show that full compliance in some areas has been delayed by limitations in the hospital\u2019s electronic systems, despite the facility being newly developed.<\/p>\n
Inspectors found intercom systems used to communicate with patients were ineffective<\/p>\n
The CMH told the regulator that changes to its electronic health record system are required, but upgrades will not be complete until early 2026.<\/p>\n
One of the most serious failures related to the monitoring of patients placed in seclusion.<\/p>\n
Inspectors found intercom systems used to communicate with patients were ineffective with staff describing them as \u201cnot fit for purpose\u201d.<\/p>\n
The hospital acknowledged it was difficult to hear patients in distress unless the intercom system was actively engaged.<\/p>\n
The documents show the hospital relied on interim safety measures while other solutions, including increased observation by staff, were explored.<\/p>\n
One proposed solution was delayed amid concerns it would create ligature points in seclusion rooms that would create a risk of self-harm.<\/p>\n
Later updates detail how acoustic improvements were eventually installed and tested, which had made it easier for staff to hear patients.<\/p>\n
The correspondence also shows ongoing engagement with the regulator over whether the system, even with mitigations, met the required standard.<\/p>\n
The hospital also said recruitment delays had affected the delivery of therapeutic services, including psychology, with waiting times ranging from two weeks to six months.<\/p>\n
Asked about the records, a spokesman for the National Forensic Mental Health Service said they welcomed the work of the MHC.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt is very challenging and disappointing that the CMH has fallen short of the expected minimum standards.<\/p>\n
“We have put in place appropriate corrective and preventative actions to address the areas of non-compliance identified.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Multiple issues identified during a 2024 inspection remained unresolved midway through 2025 Internal records show that multiple issues…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":206748,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[134,554,555,111,139,69,10410],"class_list":{"0":"post-206747","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-mental-health","10":"tag-mentalhealth","11":"tag-new-zealand","12":"tag-newzealand","13":"tag-nz","14":"tag-stephen-donnelly"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206747"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206747\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/206748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=206747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=206747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}