Vol. 419 No. 6
113 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a statement made at the annual conference of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, that discharged psychiatric patients were forced to sleep rough; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am not aware of the statement reported by the Deputy to have been made at the Psychiatric Nurses Association annual conference with regard to discharged psychiatric patients being forced to sleep rough.
Comprehensive community based facilities have been put in place in each health board area in line with the recommendations of the report Planning for the Future published in 1984 to cater for discharged psychiatric patients. These facilities comprise of community based local residences, psychiatric day hospitals, out-patient clinics and community workshops.
I can assure the Deputy that before a patient is discharged from a psychiatric hospital a thorough assessment is carried out by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure that the patient is able to cope with community living. Patients also participate in rehabilitation programmes to ensure that the transition to community living is successful.
