Concerns raised over mental health staffing in Nenagh

HSE seeking to fill vacant posts

The HSE is working to fill a number of vacancies that have arisen over the last two years on the Community Mental Health Team in Nenagh.

Concerns have recently been raised over staffing issues at the Community Mental Health Centre at Dromin House, one of two centres in North Tipperary providing public mental health assessment, interventions, treatment and outreach support services.

Nenagh councillor Séamie Morris raised the matter at last month's meeting of the HSE Regional Health Forum West. He asked whether any gaps had emerged in providing mental health care to those in need at Dromin House. Cllr Morris wanted to know how long any vacancies had been in existence for and what the HSE was doing to fill them.

In a written reply, Maria Bridgeman, Integrated Healthcare Area Manager, HSE Mid-West, said the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) in Nenagh comprises of clinical, consultant, nursing, therapy and administration staff. “With such teams, there can be a turnover of staff due to promotions, resignations, sick leave, retirement, maternity leave, etc,” Ms Bridgeman stated.

POSITIONS NOT ACCEPTED

She explained that prior to February 2023, the psychology complement on the Nenagh CMHT was one senior clinical psychologist and one staff grade psychologist. “The staff grade psychology post became vacant in February 2023 and immediately went through a recruitment process and was expressed to national staff grade panels on two separate occasions (Q3 & Q4 2023).

“The post was not was not accepted by anyone on the panel,” Ms Bridgeman said. The position was approved for filling last February and a recruitment process is currently underway. Ms Bridgeman added that a senior clinical psychology post on the Nenagh CMHT has been accepted and the successful candidate is due to take up their position this month.

With regard to nursing, she said Nenagh's clinical nurse specialist post became vacant in April 2023 but was filled last month. There are, therefore, no nursing vacancies on the Nenagh CMHT. However, a social work position has recently become vacant.

Cllr Morris was informed in the reply that the staff grade occupational therapy post on Nenagh CMHT also became vacant in 2023. “It was advertised for filling on three occasions and no candidate accepted the position,” the reply stated.

A decision was taken to upgrade this position to a senior post to make it more attractive for filling. “The post is now going through recruitment and we are confident of filling it as a senior post,” Ms Bridgeman said. “We are currently working with HR to progress the filling of the vacancy.”

Nenagh CMHT lost another staff member through retirement last June. Approval for filling this position was received in December and a recruitment process is currently underway in order to fill the vacancy.