PERROTT House in Skibbereen - one of just four mental health premises in West Cork - is about to close.
It is understood that the two remaining residents at the 15-bed facility have secured nursing home placements and the building will close in two weeks’ time.
A mental health professional spoke to The Southern Star about what the closure of one of the region’s four supportive hostels will mean for people needing access to mental health services.
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The man, who requested anonymity, claimed: ‘Residents were weeded out and now there is no hope for it: once they are gone, that door will close and it will never reopen.’
The four supportive centres includes Bantry’s acute unit and Ard Realt, adjacent to Bantry General Hospital.
In Skibbereen, there is Perrott House and Saol Nua.
The health worker said there are four people currently at Bantry’s acute unit for 18 months or longer, because there is a placement issue.
He said they are people who should be moving out to places like Perrott House but one has been in Bantry for four years.
‘Acute, by its very definition, means six weeks or more, not 18 months,’
he said.
Perrott House’s 12 staff are being redeployed’.
Staff say they have been informed there is an issue with asbestos in the building.
A spokesperson for HSE South West confirmed the building had been deemed ‘structurally not fit for purpose’ adding it was ‘engaging with residents and their families to agree transfer to alternative services’.
