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An audit of assessment rooms for mental health assessments in Ireland’s emergency departments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2020

A. Jeffers ,
R. Jennings  and
J. O’Mahony
A. Jeffers*
Affiliation:
Health Service Executive, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital, Dublin 8, DO8 W2A8, Ireland
R. Jennings
Affiliation:
Health Service Executive, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital, Dublin 8, DO8 W2A8, Ireland
J. O’Mahony
Affiliation:
Health Service Executive, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital, Dublin 8, DO8 W2A8, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: A. Jeffers, MB. BAO. Bch. MRCPsych. MBA, Health Service Executive, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital, Dublin 8, DO8 W2A8, Ireland. (Email: anne.jeffers1@hse.ie)
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Abstract

Objectives

To audit compliance of mental health assessment rooms in Irish adult emergency departments (EDs) which are open 24 hours on 7 days a week with standards identified by the Psychiatric Liaison Accreditation Network (PLAN).

Methods

A self-audit tool was sent via email to Clinical Nurse Specialists and Consultant Psychiatrists in Ireland’s 26 Adult EDs that are open 24 hours on seven days a week. Results were collated and are presented ensuring anonymity.

Results

A response rate of 100% was achieved. Full or substantial compliance with PLAN standards was recorded in 73% of services. In seven services, the rooms used for mental health assessments were unsuitable when measured against the PLAN standards. A number of services identified the presence of ligature points within the rooms.

Conclusion

The Health Service Executive (HSE) National Clinical Programme for the Assessment and Management of patients presenting to the ED following self-harm is committed to achieving 100% compliance with PLAN standards in all services. Recommendations include introducing formal ligature risk assessments and risk assessments of the use of the assessment rooms. The Chief Executive Officers of all hospital groups were informed of the results of the audits and advised on recommendations for each hospital ED.

Keywords

Assessment roomsauditemergency departmentmental healthself-harm
Type
Audit
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , June 2023 , pp. 267 - 272
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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