Published: Wednesday, 30th December, 2009 5:30pm

Wards at Loman's unfit for human habitation

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Two wards at St Loman's Hospital in Mullingar are "unfit for human habitation," according to the State's mental health inspectors.

Meanwhile St Brigid's Hospital in Ballinasloe - where conditions were severely been criticised in the past - has made progress in implementing improvement measures which were recommended to it in 2008.

These findings were contained in new reports by the Inspectorate of Mental Health Services on the State's 63 psychiatric hospitals and mental health facilities.

Inspectors stated that patients at St Loman's were living in 'dismal' conditions - despite the fact that land belonging to the 115-bed hospital was sold for €36m just five years ago.

Two of the hospital's wards - St Edna's and St Anne's - were "unfit for human habitation and should be decommissioned as a matter of urgency."

While there is a capital development plan in place for St Loman's, which was to be financed by the sale of the hospital lands, the Inspectorate was informed that the funds raised by the sale of the lands had not been put back into the local mental health service, "thus removing any hope the service had of commencing its capital development plan."

The report noted that: "Despite the poor quality physical environment for residents, staff and visitors... there was evidence throughout the approved centre that clinical staff maintained a high level of clinical care and treatment of residents."

However it continued to be a "concern" to the Inspectorate that "residents remain accommodated, cared for and treated in St Edna's, St Anne's, St Brigid's and St Marie Goretti wards which were dilapidated, desolate and depressing."

At the 94-bed St Brigid's Hospital in Ballinasloe, the Inspectorate found that there had been progress in implementing six of the seven improvements recommended in a previous report in 2008.

Among the changes at the hospital was the completion of mandatory staff training; the planned introduction of integrated multidisciplinary care planning; and the carrying out of an extensive hygiene audit.

"St Brigid's Hospital provided care to both acute and long-stay residents in buildings which dated back to the early 19th century," stated the report.

"However, the service was progressing with its plan of closure of wards and a further two wards had been closed since the last inspection; total bed numbers continued to be reduced."

The Inspectorate stated that "despite the age of the New Building, the premises were in relatively good condition."

It recommended that St Brigid's now appoint a consultant in rehabilitation and increase the level of input from occupational therapists in order to enhance the recovery programme for residents.