Dublin North East Mental Health Services
The administrative headquarters of mental health services is Connolly Norman House at 224 North Circular Road. Mental health services are provided for the Cabra, Finglas and Blanchardstown areas. This is predominately a community based mental health service with a catchment population of approximately 183,310.
Service Facilities:
Residential facilities within the service include high, medium and low-support hostels and a 30 bed, continuing care unit. Out-patient clinics operate in the local health centres of each area and at the out-patient department of Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. There is also a day-hospital and two day-centres.
Services Provided:
Service operation may be divided into acute care, rehabilitation services, care for individuals with enduring mental health needs and out-patient services. Acute admissions are catered for in St. Brendan’s Hospital and Pine Ward at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown . Acute services in the community are provided through the day-hospital, and high-support hostels.
The rehabilitation programme operates in the high, medium and low-support hostels and day-centres. Care of those with enduring mental health needs is provided mainly in the residential unit at St. Elizabeth’s Court although the hostel programme also caters for this need. Out-patient clinics enable assessments of new referrals, monitoring of return patients and delivery of many other important individual and group interventions.
Future Developments:
The Dublin North West mental health services will further develop to incorporate a new acute admissions unit in Blanchardstown and additional day facilities in Finglas and Blanchardstown. Existing facilities are being upgraded on a phased basis with some already completed. The sector headquarters in Blanchardstown has been relocated and modernised with further work needed to accommodate the new 3rd team.
In-Service Training:
In-service training for nursing, medical and care assistant staff is provided regularly. In addition to training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, manual handling and the prevention/management of aggression and violence there is also an induction programme for new staff and courses for nurses in mentorship, report writing and behaviour therapy. There is also an annual in-service programme dealing with current issues in nursing.
Rosters:
Staff are rostered throughout the services to cover the particular needs. A combination of rosters is worked and allocation of staff is responsive to service need. There is a facilitative approach to both staff needs and those of the service.
Address:
Connolly Norman House
224 North Circular Road, Dublin 7