Call for HSE not to close 10-bed CAMHS unit in Dublin

The Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) is to call on the Health Service Executive to pause a proposal to close a ten-bed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) unit in Dublin.

The growing pressures on the CAMHS service, and recruitment and retention of staff in the sector, will be among the main topics discussed at the PNA's annual delegate conference in Cavan today.

General Secretary of the PNA Peter Hughes will address up to 200 delegates, where he will raise what he calls the "inconceivable" proposed closure of the ten-bed CAMHS Unit at St Vincent's Hospital in Fairview.

Mr Hughes said the plan comes at a time when just 50 CAMHS beds are currently operational nationally, and while the Government's mental health strategy recommends 100 beds.

He will also raise concerns about staffing pressures at another 11-bed unit that is due to reopen in Linn Dara, Cherry Orchard in Dublin, later this year, after it closed four years ago due to staff shortages.

Concerns that recruitment and retention of psychiatric nurses may impact the ability to open the planned 20 CAMHS beds in the new National Children's Hospital will also be raised.

In a statement, the HSE confirmed the CAMHS Unit at St Vincent's Hospital in Fairview would close, with the last admission of patients in the third quarter of 2026.

The HSE said that there would be no staff redundancies and that the transition was expected to create new opportunities for staff currently working in Fairview including at Linn Dara and the National Children's Hospital.

"Capacity will be enhanced through the expansion at Linn Dara, including the opening of an additional 11 beds, alongside 20 newly commissioned beds at the Children's Health Ireland (CHI) campus," the statement said.

Fuel crisis having impact on mental health nurses, conference to hear
Mr Hughes said the plans to close the ten-bed facility at St Vincent's Hospital are "inexplicable", particularly at a time of growing demand for CAMHS services.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Hughes said it "doesn't make sense" to close the unit, which he said is "mostly fully staffed and doesn't have a great demand for recruitment and retention".

"However, at the same time they are proposing to open 11 beds in Linn Dara in Cherry Orchard.

Those beds closed four years ago," he said.

Mr Hughes said there had been problems recruiting and retaining staff for the Linn Dara unit for a number of years before its closure.

"I just feel if they close the beds in St Vincent's, they will never open.

But if they pause this, it gives time to see will Linn Dara be able to maintain their staffing levels and will they be able to open the new unit in the children's hospital," he said.

The PNA conference will also hear of the effect that mounting fuel costs are having on nurses who are delivering mental health services within the community.

Mr Hughes said that a request for mileage to be paid at the highest band for the period of the crisis has been referred by the HSE to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and that a decision is awaited.

He said it is hoped the PNA will "not be forced to escalate the matter", describing the issue as "urgent", that "must be acknowledged and solutions put in place".

Mr Hughes called for mileage to be paid at the highest rate to PNA members.

He said the PNA has received numerous calls and emails from members about the impact of the soaring cost of fuel.

Mr Hughes said that the issue has been raised with the HSE and they are awaiting a response from the Department of Expenditure and Reform.