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HSE says sleeping in chairs at UHW's mental health unit is 'exceptional'

HSE says sleeping in chairs at UHW's mental health unit is 'exceptional'

The HSE has responded to criticims of mental health services in the Region.

Earlier this week, two patients admitted to the Adult Mental Health Unit at University Hospital Waterford had to spend the night on chairs.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association claim it's a regular occurence and totally unacceptable.

In a statement to WLR news, the HSE says "Like all acute services, mental health services at times experience an increase in the numbers of people requiring inpatient care in an acute facility.

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"When such exceptional situations arise, the primary aim is to ensure patients receive appropriate services and this means interim arrangements are made on a ward to accommodate all people that require acute care.

"There are processes in place to ensure the unit returns to the allocated numbers as soon as possible, including urgent clinical rounds - which is what occurred this week, when the ward subsequently had five vacant and available beds by Wednesday evening 11th October."

The HSE’s acute mental health services in the Waterford/Wexford area is served by a 44 bed Dept. of Psychiatry (DoP) facility, located on the grounds of University Hospital Waterford.

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