asked the Minister for Health why the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London refuses to give full accreditation to any psychiatric hospital in this country; and if he proposes to take any steps in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Psychiatric Hospital Accreditation.
25.
The question of accreditation arises in hospitals where training is provided for doctors preparing for examination for membership of the Royal College of Psychiatry. The Royal College have set out their requirements as to the training facilities that should be available in these hospitals. These relate, inter alia, to the degree of supervision available from consultants; to the range of clinical material for teaching purposes; to physical facilities such as library and reading rooms; and to liaison with special training facilities outside hospital. Accreditation of any hospital, whether full, limited or provisional, depends on the extent to which it satisfies these requirements. I would emphasise that it does not depend on the quality of care given to the patients.
The visitation of Irish hospitals for accreditation purposes is still being carried out by a team representing the Royal College. To date five hospitals have received provisional accreditation and six have been refused accreditation. It is open to any hospital to seek a subsequent review of the decision made in regard to it. Representatives from this country similarly visit hospitals in Great Britain for accreditation purposes.
The question of the training facilities, in this country, for psychiatrists is under examination by the Irish body immediately concerned with those arrangements, namely, the Unified Post-Graduate Training Committee; this committee includes the professors of psychiatry in the medical schools as well as representatives of the sub-disciplines of psychiatry. I understand that it expects within a few months to submit a revised scheme for training of psychiatrists to the Council for Post-Graduate Medical and Dental Education and Training. This council established by me in May, 1973, has been given the task of promoting and co-ordinating schemes of post-graduate training.
When the position in regard to future training arrangements has been clarified it will be possible to decide to what extent it is necessary to improve training facilities in our psychiatric hospitals. This matter must be seen in the context of the anticipated number of vacancies arising annually in this country for consultant psychiatrists.
Do I take it from what the Minister said that these training facilities are below the required standards in so far as the Royal College is concerned? If this is so, will the Minister make special funds available to bring them up to the standards in the next financial year?
I do not know whether or not there is any need to make any special funds available for this purpose.
Do they lay down any definite minimum number of consultants and minimum number of patients that must be in those institutions?
Yes. I have a pretty long letter here which makes a statement on accreditation. If the Deputy who asked this question wishes to see it, I will send it to him.
Would the Minister agree that the policy at the moment is to attach psychiatric beds to general hospitals? If this policy is followed, would it not dilute the population of psychiatric patients on the one hand and consultants on the other with the result that there might not be any central situation which would be able to meet the demands of this particular Royal College?
Comhairle na nOspidéal will determine the number and the location of consultants not alone in respect of psychiatry but in other fields also.