Tipperary councillor told out-of-hours-mental health services run until 3am

The out-of-hours mental health service in north Tipperary operates for 11 hours per day, seven days a week, including holiday periods, Cllr Seamus Morris has been told.

Cllr Morris raised coverage at the February meeting of the West Health Forum when he asked what services were in place for someone having a mental health episode after hours and at weekends.

In a written reply, Maria Bridgeman, Chief Officer, HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare, said that the mental health service in north Tipperary was operated by HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare and was an extension of community mental health teams based in Nenagh and Thurles.

Out-of-hours staff liaise with both teams on an ongoing basis and will arrange follow up care in the community, based on the needs of the person, she said.

Ms Bridgeman told Cllr Morris that the service was staffed by nursing staff supported by an on-call consultant.

“The service is available from 4pm to 3am every day, including all weekends and holidays,” she said.

Ms Bridgeman said that mental health service users who attend the community mental health teams can access the out-of-hours service.

They may receive a home visit, appointment or phone support depending on the situation. In addition, out-of-hours staff offer advice, support and signposting to people not known to mental health services who are presenting to services for the first time, she said.

If clinically determined that a person requires admission to the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Ennis General Hospital, the out-of-hours team may support the person in this process.

The team completes an initial assessment and determines the person’s level of need. If admission is indicated, the team makes contact with the consultant/ NCHD on call and discusses the case.

The team works with any family present to ensure the person has travel arrangements in place.

If this isn’t the case, the team will identify appropriate transport, based on a risk assessment.

On arrival to the APU, a mental health assessment will be undertaken by the consultant/NCHD on call to confirm whether admission is appropriate.

Communication with the appropriate community mental health team will be undertaken and the service user will be followed up as an inpatient or in the community as appropriate, said Ms Bridgeman.