Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 February 2014
188. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that assessment facilities are made available within the new acute psychiatry unit at Beaumont Hospital rather than diverting service users to the emergency department for assessment; if he considers the emergency department as the most appropriate setting for all mental health assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5943/14]
View answer189. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of psychiatric beds that are available per Health Service Executive catchment area with a bed to population ratio for comparative purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5944/14]
View answer190. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health the reason north Dublin is excluded from the Health Service Executive directive that all children under 18 years should be seen by child and adolescent mental health services; his views on whether it is acceptable that in Dublin North these adolescents are still being treated within the over-stretched adult psychiatry services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5945/14]
View answer191. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health the action he is taking to ensure that the empty consultant posts in the Mater child and adolescent mental health services are filled; his views on whether the 50% of consultant posts which are unfilled in this service represent a crisis level of under-staffing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5946/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 188 to 191, inclusive, together.
As these are service issues these questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
