New Wexford Psychiatrist Must Be 24/7 - Shannon

There are calls for the new consultant psychiatrist announced for Wexford to be available to patients 24/7.

Housing Minister James Browne announced the role would be established here this week and should be up and running in the next two months.

The Enniscorthy TD described the move as a major development for mental health services in the county.

Councillor Raymond Shannon has welcomed the news but says we need more clarity on who can access these services and when:

"It'll probably be Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, I don't have the full details of it but it's somebody and it's a start.

"We've been waiting forever for this, we've never had it so it's a small step but it's a step in the right direction.

"We'll take what we can get because we're starting from scratch but let's build on it and lets get together to rally for this position to be 24/7."

This new position will see patients assessed in the Emergency Department and hospital wards before being directed towards appropriate treatment.

It's believed the role will be filled before September and is the first of its kind since St Senan's was shut.

A survey by the Mental Health Services Working Group recently found 80 per cent of people here rank our mental health services as poor or very poor.

Councillor Shannon says this new position will go some way to improving that but more needs to be done:

"A 24/7 mental health inpatient unit and services, that's what's needed in this county.

"We're losing too many people to suicide, people don't have anywhere to turn to after 9 to 5 so this is a major step in the right direction."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.