Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 5

Written Answers. - Mental Health Services.

Liz McManus

Question:

132 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of community residences for the mentally ill per health board area in each of the years from 1997 to 1998; if these are inspected by the inspector of mental hospitals; the plans, if any, he has to develop community residences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23008/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

According to the statistical information printed in the report of the inspector of mental hospitals for 1997 and 1998, the following table represents the number of community residences for the mentally ill per health board area.

	1997	1998
Eastern Health Board	85	83
Midland Health Board	30	31
Mid-Western Health Board	28	28
North-Eastern Health Board	25	25
North-Western Health Board	33	36
South-Eastern Health Board	70	67
Southern Health Board	41	44
Western Health Board	79	72*
Overall Total	391	386

*Excludes seven residences for patients with intellectual disabilities.

Residential units are visited by the sector teams and by the Inspector of Mental Hospitals and the inspector's comments are forwarded to the relevant health boards. Community residential accommodation is being continually developed in the health board areas and it is my intention to facilitate health boards in the further development of community mental health services as resources permit.

Liz McManus

Question:

133 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of places available in each health board and the number of attendances of day hospitals for the mentally ill for each of the years 1997 and 1998; if these meet the requirements of the numbers recommended in the Planning for the Future report; if he has satisfied himself with the provision of services in view of the criticism of day hospitals in the 1997 report by the Inspector of Mental Hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23009/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

The following table sets out the approximate number of places available in each health board and the number of attendances at day hospitals for the mentally ill for 1997 and 1998.

	1997	No. of places	Attendances	1998	No. of places	Attendances
Eastern Health Board	476	57,963	402	57,859
Midland Health Board	24	9,305	26	7,645
Mid-Western Health Board	174	26,567	174	28,460
North-Eastern Health Board	25	11,347	25	10,236
North-Western Health Board	121	14,492	101	15,767
South-Eastern Health Board	97	16,134	120	21,035
Southern Health Board	134	20,052	159	19,298
Western Health Board	72	22,984	72	17,190
Overall Total	1,123	178,844	1,079	177,490

It is acknowledged that a number of services still have some way to go towards adequate provision of day hospital services in their sectors. However, it must be stressed that great strides have been made in many health board areas in the provision of community mental health services since the publication of the report – Planning for the Future in 1984. These services will continue to be developed as resources permit.