THE MENTAL HEALTH Commission has found fire risks across three inpatient centres in Dublin and Limerick. 

The Commission today released inspection reports relating to the Department of Psychiatry at Connolly Hospital in Dublin, the Ashlin Centre in Dublin and the Acute Psychiatric Unit 5B at University Hospital Limerick. 

It found that the Department of Psychiatry at Connolly Hospital had made no progress on overall compliance over the past five years, with a rating of 67% this year comparable to the same figure in 2017, and dips in performance between those dates. 

There were 11 areas of non-compliance found at the unit during the inspection, including three critical and four high risk ratings.

There were significant safety concerns at the centre, including that a fire door on a bedroom sub fire compartment on one of the wards was missing. 

Although this was first reported for repair in February 2021, it had not been fixed by July 2021, despite repeated requests. 

Three residents had not received a documented six-monthly general health check, and this non-compliance was also rated as a critical risk.

There were two conditions attached to the registration of the centre at the time of inspection.

One condition was to ensure all healthcare professionals working in the centre are up-to-date in mandatory training areas.

However, it was found that members of the medical team had not completed the HSE online training in the Mental Health Act (2001), so the centre was in breach of this condition and this was also rated as a critical risk.

The centre has engaged with the MHC on all identified areas of non-compliance and has committed to implementing a quality improvement plan. The MHC is continuing to monitor the actions taken.

The Acute Psychiatric Unit at University Hospital Limerick received a compliance rate of 85%, but there were five areas where risk was identified, including one critical risk and one high risk. 

The inspection found that the centre didn’t have adequate fire safety structures and procedures. 

A major fire risk was identified in the form of a missing fire door. This door was crucial to the centre’s use of separate zones in order to accommodate horizontal evacuation in the event of fire. 

The Ashlin Centre in Dublin also received a compliance rate of 85%, however, there were five areas of non-compliance noted. 

As per the centre’s policy, a fire drill was due to occur twice every year and be documented when they did occur; however, none had been documented for the year preceding the inspection. 

The inspector of mental health services, Dr Susan Finnerty, said that it was disappointing and unsatisfactory that some centres are failing to consistently improve and maintain high compliance rates.

In 2020, the average compliance rate for all approved centres was 87%.

“It is a significant concern to the MHC when a centre does not make any improvement in overall compliance over a number of years,” Dr Finnerty said.

“We would expect that the registered proprietor and management of any centre who finds itself consistently failing to improve overall compliance – as well as being in breach of one or more conditions and receiving critical and high-risk ratings – must undertake a meaningful review of its protocols and procedures and work with the MHC to help ensure that they can provide the best care possible for the people in their care,” she said. 

Mental Health Commission chief executive John Farrelly said they “acknowledge that some centres are struggling to retain staff and support levels for patients, given the ongoing pandemic and the impact that this is having on our health services”.

“However, there is no excuse for not having in place appropriate fire doors to protect patients, or not holding a standard fire drill once every six months, as required under law,” Farrelly said. 

“These critical safety measures and procedures must happen as a matter of course. The regulation relating to risk management is there for a reason.”