Both of Kerry’s centres for mental health treatment achieved greater than 75% compliance with regulations last year.
That’s according to the Mental Health Commission’s Annual Report for 2023, which was published today.
According to the report, there were 66 approved centres registered to provide care and treatment for people who have a mental illness or disorder at the end of 2023.
There were 2,666 registered inpatient beds in these centres across the country.
In Kerry, there are 74 HSE adult beds for mental health care; these are in the Sliabh Mish Unit in University Hospital Kerry, and the Deer Lodge facility in Killarney.
The Deer Lodge centre achieved almost 90% compliance with regulations last year, according to the report.
The Sliabh Mish unit achieved a slightly lower compliance rate at 76%, while it also reported one instance of overcapacity in 2023.
The Commission’s report writes that most instances of overcapacity notified last year were reported to have occurred due to emergency, involuntary admissions.
There was also one admission of a child to the Sliabh Mish unit in UHK during 2023.
The report writes children were admitted to adult-approved centres either because they were an immediate risk to themselves or others, or due to no availability of a bed within a CAMHS facility.
Overall, child admissions into adult units was lower in 2023 than the two years previously.
