COLUMN: 30% increase in people presenting with mental health issues in Tipperary

A new survey released on World Mental Health Day has shown that one in two people feel that their mental health has been affected as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Just over 51% of 3,500 people surveyed by the International Committee of the Red Cross said that the global health crisis has impacted their mental health.

Lockdown restrictions, lack of social interaction and economic uncertainty are all impacting people’s mental health and access to care.

It is said that the mental health fall-out from the pandemic will be long term and far reaching. Just last week the Mental Health Commission called on the Government for a specific mental health plan to respond to the increase in mental health issues.

As well as the above, University Hospital Galway carried out research from March to May, when the restrictions were most severe and they noticed a dramatic increase of self-harm at 108% of an increase. Admissions have also increased at the hospital.

We must acknowledge that mental health issues were in a state of crisis in Ireland long before the pandemic.

People and their families have been desperately crying out for help for sufficient access to the adequate services as part of our healthcare system.

Overcrowding in psychiatric hospitals has subjected some patients to sleeping on the floors of our hospitals in the past.

People are being put on waiting lists with no communication for months and unfortunately some people, when they ask for help, are being turned away by the services if the threat is not deemed urgent enough for hospitalisation.

So, as much as mental health awareness is welcome, it is unfortunate that it has taken a global health crisis for mental health to be treated with a sense of urgency.

This new research is indeed concerning at a local level and we know that Tipperary is already at a crisis point with regards mental health.

Just last year Tipperary had the highest rate of suicide in the country outside of Dublin. There has been a 30% increase in people presenting to South Tipperary General Hospital so far this year and that number is expected to increase year on year.

While the newly announced €1m funding for the crisis house in Clonmel is welcome, we are still in dire need of psychiatric beds in the county.

In an interview with Tipp FM last week, Minister for Mental Health and Older people, Mary Butler TD, stated that the psychiatric unit in Kilkenny is at 85% capacity, according to the statistics.

However, the feeling felt on the ground is much different. Service users and their families still experience the hospital stretched in terms of staffing and adequate bed capacity to deal with the demand for beds.

She also stated that even if 10 beds were to be introduced that this would be difficult to staff in terms of psychiatrists, occupational therapists, nurses and clinicians.

As difficult as it may be, I am sure that job creation in the county would be very much welcomed.

In relation to the transfer of patients from south Tipperary to Kilkenny and from north Tipperary to Ennis, the Minister did acknowledge that it can be “very difficult”.

I would add to this and state that not only is this the transfer of patients difficult, but it is acutely traumatic to be transferred outside the locality both for the patient and they’re families.

There is also the cost of transferring patients to Kilkenny psychiatric unit which does not make sense.

The cost for the transfer of a patient to Kilkenny stands at €288.54 which amounts to over €300,000 over seven years according to Sinn Féin TD, Deputy Martin Browne.

Turning to the budget we have seen plenty of coverage for the need in mental health funding. While the figure of a total of €50m seems like an adequate amount of funding for mental health, it falls well short of the €80m that was actually required, falling at just under half.

What does this mean for all of us?

From a local perspective, the campaign must continue in the call for adequate psychiatric services to be implemented in the county however it does not seem to be on the horizon any time soon as Minister Mary Butler explained, there is a 10-year plan to review the psychiatric bed situation across the country.

As a preventative measure, it is imperative that we treat mental health issues in the early stages.

This means if you are not feeling yourself or if you are concerned for a family member, friend or loved one, you should reach out and talk amongst your family or with a trusted friend at the very least.

It is often the message that we hear around mental health however as hard as it may be, finding the courage to start to speak about how you are feeling at the early stages really is the best policy.

Although stigma around mental health exists at all levels, there is nothing unusual about going to your doctor to express how you may be feeling.

At the end of the day, if you are feeling physically sick, perhaps a vomiting bug or a chest infection, we would be making an appointment with your doctor immediately.

The same applies to your mental health. It takes tremendous courage to speak about how you are feeling but like anything else, the first step is the most difficult. After that, it really does get easier.

I would acknowledge that the increased awareness around the crisis in Tipperary is a positive step in that more and more people are becoming acutely aware of the need for psychiatric beds in the county.

This, not only almost forces us to keep an eye on our health but also conversations around the need for beds, increases the local interest in services that are needed as soon as possible.

We have a long way to go in terms of the restoration of St Michael’s however we need to make sure it as at the forefront of the Government’s agenda in all discussion around mental health.