'Fantastic facility' in Tipperary supports provision of positive mental health

Despite the impression being bandied about that there is no support for mental health in Clonmel, 50 in-patient beds, both long stay and short stay, are available in the town for mental health patients.

This was stated by Mary Butler, Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, in Clonmel last week.

However the Minister also acknowledged that “we always need to do more”.

She was speaking at the official opening of Haven House, a HSE mental health respite care centre at Glenconnor, adjacent to the Tipperary University Hospital complex in Clonmel, which was completed and became operational just over a year ago.

Built at a cost of €3.7 million, Haven House is a one storey, 10 en suite-bed single occupancy, purpose-built facility, offering service users of south Tipperary mental health services step up/step down support as an alternative to in-patient treatment in an acute psychiatric unit.

Such crisis support accommodation for south Tipperary was previously provided by the HSE’s mental health services at the nearby eight-bed Glenville House, for which Haven House was built as a replacement.

At the very first meeting she attended as Minister of State, in Clonmel, Mary Butler said there was talk of a crisis house being established in the town. She said that day that she would deliver that facility and open it, and that was what was happening.

She stated that this “most fantastic facility” supported people in having the most positive mental health journey. “There’s no health without mental health and recovery is possible,” she said.

Haven House is part of a significant investment in mental health support for people living in the community and people did better when a facility for short-term intervention was available, she said.

Minister Butler said that 411 people, 331 of whom were male, were lost to suicide in Ireland in 2022.

“The onus is on each and every one of us to tell people that there is help out there. Please reach out for help,” she stated. She said there was no stigma in reaching out for help and she appealed to people to reach out if they thought someone was in distress, and tell them that support is available.

The Minister said, “The completion and coming into operation of Haven House is the latest of investments, made over the last decade, in the provision of quality and safe mental health services for people in the south Tipperary area.

“This investment programme has included the development of mental health liaison services in Tipperary University Hospital; a new purpose-built Community Mental Healthcare Centre in Clonmel (and, likewise, Carraig Óir in Cashel); the establishment of two new mental health day hospitals in Cashel and Clonmel; the operation and resourcing of Community Mental Health teams and home-based services; a purpose-built 40 en suite bed Psychiatry of Later Life and Rehabilitation/Recovery Community Nursing Unit (Haywood Lodge) in Clonmel; a 12-bed high support hostel (Garryshane) in Clonmel and a purpose-built nine-bed, 24-hour, nurse-staffed residence (Lorica) in Cashel.

“In addition to the support of Community Mental Health teams, the core daily complement of staff in Haven House includes a Nurse Manager, a Clinical Nurse Specialist, staff nurses, administration, catering and household staff.

“I congratulate everyone involved in ensuring this project has come to fruition and I know its service users and their families will appreciate the wonderful facility”.

Mulcahy Construction began building the centre at Glenconnor, Clonmel in late 2021, as part of a project that also involved Moloney/O’Beirne Architects, Duffy Quigley Chartered Surveyors and Frank Fox and Associates, Structural Engineers.

Martina Queally, Regional Executive Officer, HSE/Dublin and South East Health Region, said that Haven House is a very fine example of integrated and enhanced mental health services. She praised the work being done for the community, while honouring values of trust, compassion and care, and making sure that clients are dealt with dignity and respect.