Sharon Keogan demands more inpatient beds for children
Sharon Keogan spoke about shortages of inpatient beds for children with eating disorders and urged immediate expansion of capacity. She also addressed the Mental Health Bill and dual diagnosis services, saying the Bill accounts for coexisting conditions but that gaps remain in practice.
Immediate concern
Keogan described children waiting in hospital settings unsuitable for their needs and said there are currently no beds available for those awaiting treatment for eating disorders. She warned that despite teams being in place around the country, the lack of inpatient beds is causing harm to patients and families.
Existing facilities mentioned
The speaker referenced Cherry Orchard and Lowesbridge as facilities she knows and noted she has direct experience with children who spent time in fostering before attending those centres. Keogan emphasised that available teams are not enough without the physical inpatient capacity they need.
Mental Health Bill and dual diagnosis
Keogan said the Mental Health Bill does not specify any particular mental health difficulty and that a person with a coexisting mental health difficulty and other issues can access inpatient mental health services where they meet criteria for involuntary admission. She acknowledged that dual diagnosis is accounted for in the Bill but that lived experience shows some people still fall between the cracks.
Planned services and rollout
The speaker described an incremental rollout of dual diagnosis teams to support people nationally and mentioned a day hospital in Keltie, Dublin, intended to support those with dual diagnosis. She framed the approach as avoiding a postcode lottery by expanding services across the country.
Speaker's closing
Keogan made a direct plea for more beds so that children will stop dying and concluded by noting she has spent ten years on her feet in both the Dáil and the chamber and has always been accused of lacking compassion.
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Certainly, I was speaking earlier on in relation to children that are in hospitals, in medical settings that are not suitable for their needs. I know what Cherry Orchard does, I know the great people that work in Cherry Orchard. I would have had a child, a young child in fostering for over a year that was spent some time before she came there, came to me. So I'm well aware of the work that they actually do there. I'm also aware of Lowesbridge, where another child that was in fostering ended up there as well. So I'm aware of the facilities that are available at this moment in time. But I can tell you today, a child that is in the hospital, that is awaiting to get a bed in this country to deal with their eating disorder, there is no beds available at this present time. You know that, I know that, and the people that are in those beds and their parents know that. So we don't have, you might have all these teams around the country, and fair play, but we don't have the beds. I'm asking you to have more beds. That's all I'm asking you, so that these children will stop dying. Thank you. The Mental Health Bill does not specify any mental health difficulty or mental disorder, including dual diagnosis. A person with a coexisting mental health difficulty and other issue can access inpatient mental health services where the person meets the criteria for involuntary admission. As said, a person presenting with dual diagnosis is already accounted for in the current provisions of the Bill and should be able to access services based on need. I understand we've had lived experience here that that wasn't the case previously, and it may not be the case in every single case. And there are people who fall between the cracks. But what I'm trying to do is roll out incrementally, not a postcode lottery, dual diagnosis teams that can support people all over the country. A day hospital in Keltie in Dublin to support people with dual diagnosis. And Senator, you're absolutely right when you speak about alcohol. You're absolutely right when you speak about that. You know how challenging it is for many, many people. So I conclude on that. But if you don't mind me saying, I'm 10 years on my feet in both the Dáil and the Channot. And I've never, ever been accused before of not having compassion.
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