Acute Mental Healthcare in Hospital Emergency Departments in Ireland : A National Survey from the Office of the Inspector of Mental Health Services

Abstract

An estimated 51,000 first presentations of acute mental health need are made each year through hospital emergency departments and medical wards in Ireland1. Referral to an emergency department for unscheduled mental health assessment is part of a suite of options recommended by the HSE, especially for out of hours unscheduled mental health care23. There is growing awareness of the need to increase the range of acute mental health services and to improve urgent access and quality of care5. Individuals with prior mental health needs are advised to contact their local community mental health services. New presentations may contact on-call primary care and/or attend the emergency department5. The HSE National Clinical Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide Related Ideation (NCPSHI) recommends that mental health services in the emergency departments be delivered ‘24 hours a day, 7 days a week’.2,3 The Inspector of Mental Health Services at the Mental Health Commission (MHC) has a statutory duty to report on the quality of care and treatment given to persons in receipt of mental health service, wherever it occurs.9 An MHC generated provider-based confidential survey was sent via email to each HSE hospital or area manager with responsibility for an emergency department or a minor injury unit (IU). The data received by the MHC related exclusively to mental health services provided in the emergency department/IU. No specific reference to professional respondents was made as part of the report.