IT CAN be revealed that a pilot scheme for people facing mental health crisis is about to launch in Limerick. This comes amid news that there have been 666 desperation presentations at University Hospital Limerick’s (UHL) emergency department (ED) between January and the end of June this year by people in crisis with their mental health.
Figures requested by the Limerick Post show that there have been 666 mental health crisis presentations in the first six months of this year at the emergency department at UHL.
Of those presentations, just 10 per cent (72) resulted in admission into a psychiatric facility – either 5B in UHL or the acute psychiatric unit in Ennis.
The figures represent a four per cent reduction in presentations for the same period last year and a 13 per cent reduction in admissions.
To combat this wave of people experiencing mental distress, the Limerick Post has learned that recruitment is at an advanced stage for specialists to staff the new Crisis Resolution Team (CRT), while other new integrated services, including a specifically trained Garda unit based in Henry Street Garda Station, and a community cafe where trained staff will be available, are also poised for launch.
And in a separate development, a HSE spokesperson told the Limerick Post that approval has been received to establish a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Paediatric Liaison Team, which will be based at the UHL ED.
The spokesperson said this team will support children who present to the ED in crisis and will reduce hospital admissions and waiting times in the ED.
The Mid West has also recruited a Psychiatry of Later Life Liaison Consultant, who is commencing a liaison service to over 65s who present in mental health crisis to the ED or are admitted to UHL.
The CRT is being developed in Limerick under a national clinical programme. It’s model of care will include a community café that could become a key contact point when working with people in crisis.
A CRT is a community-based multidisciplinary team providing rapid assessment and intensive support to individuals in mental health crisis.
The team will provide an alternative to inpatient admission, providing care in the user’s own environment or in a community setting, with the active involvement of the service user and their family, carers, and supporters.
A spokesperson for the HSE Mid West said “CRTs concentrate on the provision of mental health care when people need it most, as close to home as possible. Crisis resolution services will be central to the acute mental health care pathway for a number of acute mental health presentations”.
The team will work hand-in-hand with the new pilot Community Access Support Teams (CAST), which will establish a specialist uniformed unit in which Gardaí will work together with mental health professionals to provide a 24/7 response to persons with mental health issues or those experiencing situational trauma.
It will be the first team of this type to be created in Ireland, and a study of the project with academic partners in UL will inform further roll out of similar teams across the country.
The specialist unit will respond to relevant 999 calls that have been triaged. The on-scene response will involve trained Gardaí supported by an assigned clinical nurse specialist and other members of the CAST Team.
The team will be based in Henry Street Garda Station during working hours and will follow up with individuals based on needs identified during call-out.
When not responding to calls, these force members will be completing work associated with the project, such as linking in with external agencies, outreach to homeless and addiction services, following up on previous call outs, and providing ongoing intervention based on need.
At the heart of the CAST pilot project is the establishment of a multi-agency support forum, which will meet each month and will be chaired by an independent person from Limerick City and County Council.
The aim is to reduce future presentations and interactions with Gardaí or other blue light emergency services, through community follow-ups and management of complex cases.
A spokesperson said the “recruitment of HSE staff to commence the CAST pilot has been approved and is being progressed by HR”.
