From the Faculty of Social & Rehabilitation Psychiatry

From Siobhán Barry and Niall Crumlish, Policy & External Affairs Directorate

A recent study by Dr John Lyne and colleagues at St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, examined diagnoses among patients referred to the liaison psychiatry team. Liaison psychiatry is the department that assists general hospital inpatients with mental health problems. The findings of this study were compared with those of similar studies from around the world.

The College of Psychiatry of Ireland repeats their previous call for a ban on alcohol advertising and sponsorship in Ireland to protect Children and Adolescents. “Our 2008 publication stated that the alcohol industry’s self regulatory group responsible for monitoring compliance with alcohol advertising had found multiple breaches of the code where children were exposed to alcohol advertisements. There were no consequences to these breaches” said Dr William Flannery, Chair of the College’s Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry.

Thousands of people across Ireland live with the daily challenge of coping with rheumatoid arthritis. A recent study led by Dr Yulia Zyrianova, Senior Registrar in Psychiatry, examined the psychological impact of arthritis on patients.

The College of Psychiatry of Ireland acknowledges and shares the grave concerns expressed by thePsychiatric Nurses Association in its recent report ‘A Mental Health Service in Crisis’ released yesterday.

Irish people are living longer and the number of Irish people with dementia (such as Alzheimer’s disease) is set to rise. People with dementia need high levels of care, usually primarily provided by family, so they can remain at home for as long as possible. The work done by carers in thousands of homes around the country needs to acknowledged, understood and supported.

The College welcomes the imminent ‘order’ by the Commission to prevent any new acute admissions to three hospitals – St Ita’s, St Brendan’s and St Senan’s – given the consistent message for the required closure in Inspector’s reports over past years because of the poor conditions available to patients, and the persistent failure to address these shortcomings.

In the past month there has been considerable discussion in Ireland of suicidality and homicidality as potential adverse effects of SSRI antidepressant medication. Much of this discussion has been speculative. Clearly, suicide and homicide are events of the utmost gravity and any possible role of any treatment in precipitating such tragedies warrants the most thorough investigation. However, discussion of the risks involved must be based on evidence rather than conjecture or unfounded opinion.

The College of Psychiatry of Ireland is aware of issues relating to SSRI antidepressant medication which emerged at a public inquest yesterday.

NUIG medical students win the annual Spike Milligan Public Speaking Competition run by the College of Psychiatry of Ireland.

The College of Psychiatry of Ireland held their 2010 Spring Conference in Cork over the last two days with the theme ‘Minding the Gap: The Boundaries and Interface between Psychiatry and Primary Care.’

The College of Psychiatry of Ireland again called for the removal of the word ‘unwilling’ from Section 59b of the Mental Health Act 2001 at all party briefings in Leinster House last week. However the College strongly proposed that Section 59b be retained in the legislation.

On March 1st 2010, the Minister of State at the Department of Health with Responsibility for Mental Health, Mr John Moloney, TD, announced plans to close fourteen outdated psychiatric hospitals across Ireland. Around 1200 people, including children, live on wards in these hospitals, some of which the Inspector of Mental Health Services recently described using language as strong as “depressing”, “appalling”, and “unfit for human habitation”. The hospitals are to be replaced within three years with modern community mental health facilities, which will be funded from by the sales of each hospital and associated lands.