MINISTER Kathleen Lynch has written to a Limerick woman who spoke out about her “traumatic” stay in an acute psychiatric unit at University Hospital Limerick and has pledged to improve services and staffing levels.
Earlier this year, Leona O’Callaghan (35) from Castletroy came forward to highlight her experiences in Ward 5B at UHL saying she received “inadequate support while in a very dark time in my life”.
Leona was admitted to the ward in November 2014 after attempting suicide.
In an email seen by the Limerick Post, Minister Lynch, who is responsible for Primary Care, Social Care (Disabilities/Older People) and Mental Health, thanked Leona for sharing her experiences.
“We are constantly working to improve our mental health services and this Government has provided significant funding to the services in this regard. Since your time in University Hospital Limerick a full-time activation nurse has been appointed to run the therapeutic programme on that particular ward and work is currently underway on a high observation area with predominantly single bedrooms.
“It is expected the works will be finished by the end of this year and it is envisaged there will be higher staffing levels in this area,” added the Minister.
Leona said Minister Lynch’s response is “great news for those going through a rough time”.
“A full-time activation nurse has been hired to provide recovery and activities in the unit to make a tough time a little better. They have also started work so the high observation room that I found traumatic and dangerous would be changed in its set-up so highly suicidal people would not be mixed with people with violent tendencies.”
Leona revealed that she intends to continue to engage with the hospital regarding its mental health services as she feels “the attitude of some of the staff needs to change”.
