Tags: Ciarán Lynch, Cork, Ireland, politics, teen mental health facilities

Ciaran Lynch

LABOUR TD Ciarán Lynch has welcomed progress on teen mental health facilities in the Southern Region.

“I would like to welcome the news that there has been significant progress towards providing an improved adolescent mental health service for the southern region.

“This week I put a Dáil Question to the Minister for Health about any progress at the adolescent unit at Bessborough Care Centre, County Cork, and I was delighted to hear that some positive news at last.

“A HSE official has informed me in recent days (see below) that while the 20-bed unit at Bessborough is far from complete, work there is under way, and that as an interim measure, an eight-bed unit located near St Stephen’s Hospital is to open shortly.

“I particularly welcome indications that the process of staffing the unit is proceeding well. According to the HSE, the consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and the director of nursing for the unit have been appointed, while medical nursing and therapy staff are currently being trained and inducted. I am told that the remaining staff will be in position by the end of next week.

“I have consistently worked to ensure that adolescents in the South who require mental health care, get it when they need it. While I will continue to apply pressure to the HSE to ensure that the Bessborough centre is completed and opened in a timely manner, I certainly regard this as a step in the right direction”.