Vol. 483 No. 2
81 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the appalling conditions in St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane, County Dublin; the discussions, if any, he had with the Eastern Health Board on the steps needed to ensure that patients are not kept in these conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19893/97]
Monitoring of standards of care and standards of accommodation provided for patients in psychiatric hospitals is carried out by the Inspector of Mental Hospitals. The inspector carries out annual inspections of all psychiatric hospitals, including St. Ita's Hospital. In his report for 1995, the inspector noted the enhancement of the overall appearance of clinical areas and also the improvement in staff morale in the hospital but acknowledged that further improvement in standards was necessary. In his rpeort for 1996 the inspector referred to the continuation of the upgrading and refurbishment of patients facilities. A total of £500,000 was spent on upgrading facilities in St. Ita's Hospital in 1994 and 1995. In 1996 my Department provided a further £250,000, while the board provided £60,000 from its own resources which enabled further substantial upgrading to be carried out in all patient care areas throughout the hospital.
The board's current development plans in relation to the St. Ita's Hospital campus provide for the closure of old wards in the main hospital block in line with the reduction in patient numbers in the psychiatric service and mental handicap service of St. Ita's. It is envisaged that the main hospital will be closed as a residential facility. This will be facilitated by the provision of purpose built residential facilities in the community and on the hospital campus for residents with a mental handicap, and the transfer of long-term older psychiatric patients from the main hospital block to more modern accommodation on the hospital campus as vacancies arise.
