Bantry’s mental health unit needs more beds, not less, say councillors

A PROPOSAL to take out seven beds at the Centre for Mental Health and Recovery at Bantry General Hospital ‘beggars belief’ and would be a huge blow to West Cork, local councillors have said.

Standing orders were suspended at a meeting of Cork County Council recently, after county mayor Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) raised the issue and said that the Mental Health Commission recommended in a report that the centre’s beds be reduced from 18 to 11.

‘This is having a drastic effect on the clients who use this and I have had one person onto me who uses it at certain times. This will mean we will be left with 11 beds in Bantry, which will put pressure on beds in Cork,’ said Cllr Collins.

‘Mental health is a huge issue out there and the service this unit gives is unbelievable and people who use it really appreciate it. For it to lose seven beds is detrimental and people are distraught – it would have drastic consequences for the Beara Peninsula,’ he said.

He added that a similar report has gone in for Clonakilty Hospital and he called on the Council to write to both the Mental Health Commission and the HSE to insist no beds be cut.

Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF) said he’d like to see the detail in the report and added that West Cork has always been the frontrunner in mental health services over many years, bringing out innovative community-based programmes like Open Dialogue.

‘For those who are in serious distress, access to acute mental health services is hugely important, especially in a peripheral area like West Cork,’ said Cllr Murphy.

Cllr Sean O’Donovan (FF) said improving and increasing facilities is what they should be looking at, instead of taking beds out.

Cllr Paul Hayes (Ind) said removing beds is ‘an absolute non-runner.’

‘The answer isn’t to reduce the beds by seven, as it’s a hugely important service in West Cork and beyond,’ said Cllr Hayes.

Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind)  said it ‘beggars belief’ how a report could recommend closing one bed, never mind seven beds.

‘It’s a huge blow to West Cork and we should be increasing beds,’ said Cllr Hurley.

Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG) said that the unit at Bantry General Hospital is vital and that there should be at least 10 beds added to the unit, rather than taking any out.