Plan to expand facility

Plan to expand facility

12 June 2024

THE role of a leading mental health day hospital in Downpatrick could be enhanced to become an emergency assessment centre to help people who find themselves in a psychiatric crisis, it is being suggested.

The Down Community Health Committee has asked the South Eastern Trust to consider the “transformative move” at Finneston House for a trial period so people who are in a mental health crisis do not have to go directly to an over-crowded emergency department.

Instead, they would go to a dedicated centre of excellence where expert mental health staff would be on hand to deal with them in a less chaotic and intimidating environment.

Such a centre was established in Camden north London a number of years ago and a subsequent study revealed alternatives to emergency departments for people in an emergency mental health crisis led to improved outcomes and patient experience.

Local health campaigners believe such a dedicated mental health facility in Downpatrick would help ease pressure on the Ulster Hospital’s emergency department and has the potential to become a regional service.

Campaigners have written to the district’s most senior health official outlining the idea which they believe has merit and is worthy of further discussion and public consultation.

Mental health care has been provided at the Downshire Hospital estate in Downpatrick — of which Finneston House is a key component — since 1869, with campaigners confident the facility has the potential to become a dedicated centre of excellence.

They say pressure on the Ulster Hospital’s emergency department is well documented and the subject of media reports and appeals for staff to report for work to deal with the issue.

Campaigners say included in the large number of people making their way to the department are those in a mental health crisis.

These include people who are abusing or misusing substances, those who have self-harmed, those with suicidal thoughts and those who have attempted to take their own lives.

In the letter to health trust chief executive, Ms Roisin Coulter, campaigners say people in these crises are often accompanied by one or more police officers who feel duty bound to remain at the hospital to ensure the person is triaged and treated appropriately.

Campaigners say the presence of extra personnel impacts on the space available for the care of other patients.

“Having many people in crisis affects the atmosphere in the department and adds to the stress experienced by emergency staff and there is also an added impact on Ambulance Service personnel,” the letter continues.

“When they arrive at such a busy department they are unable to handover patients and are required to wait, often in the back of the ambulance, for many hours.”

Campaigners argue this has a further impact on other people who cannot access ambulance services because so many vehicles are either off the road or parked up outside the Ulster Hospital’s emergency department.

“Our committee has considered this multi-faceted issue carefully and may have a helpful solution that we hope you will take to the Trust Board for its consideration,” said the letter.

“We suggest that for a trial period, a temporary mental health emergency assessment centre be provided for all those in such crisis across the South Eastern Trust area at Finneston House.”

Campaigners believe the reduction in pressure on the emergency department this would bring is self-evident.

“Patients and their families and carers would experience care in a less stressful environment,” campaigners contend.

In addition, the Community Health Committee issued a reminder that today, modern assessment procedures and treatments are already provided from Finneston House.

“There is potential to create a centre of excellence here,” the campaigners’ letter continues.

“Our committee accept that a proposal such as this will take time to fully consider. We cannot however, foresee many major disadvantages.”

The letter adds: “This is a potentially transformative idea but will necessitate and period of consultation with staff and maybe formal consultation with the public.”

Health committee members say they are willing to meet with senior South Eastern Trust officials to further discuss the proposed initiative.