Mental health services must ensure robust governance to provide quality care

Our Chief Executive, John Farrelly, has said that it is essential that providers of mental health services across the country have robust governance structures in place to manage risks, protect residents and provide quality care.

He was commenting following the publication this morning of three inspection reports which identified three critical-risk and five high non-compliance ratings at one approved centre, and a further two high-risk non-compliances at a second centre. A third centre had no non-compliances and achieved 100% compliance.

Mr Farrelly said that the evidence and compliance levels in one centre indicate a clear governance failure that needs to be addressed immediately.

“It is critical that mental health facilities provide consistent and cohesive governance structures,” he said. “This is the single greatest predictor for the provision of a quality mental health service. If we as a country wish to provide high quality services, with high levels of compliance with regulations, then we need to recognise that this will not be achieved with substandard governance structures. Poor governance leads to confusion and uncertainty, which, in turn, leads to critical and high-risk non-compliances as identified in two of today’s inspection reports. Ultimately, this can cause centres to close their doors to admissions.”

The Inspector of Mental Health Services, Dr Susan Finnerty, said that it is disappointing to see an approved centre with critical risk ratings and pointed out that the lack of staff and skill mix needs to be addressed immediately to meet the residents’ needs

“This is especially important when centres, such as those referenced in today’s reports, cater for psychiatry of later life patients who are resident for more than six months,” she said. “The lack of inputs such as physiotherapy, dietetics and physical health occupational therapy in an approved centre is not acceptable. The high-risk rating related to individual care planning compromises care and does not put the patient at the centre of their care.”

To read our statement, click here.