Occupational Therapy Services
The primary focus of Occupational Therapy services is in enabling people with mental illness to live independent, healthy and good quality lives in their own communities or in more supported settings. In partnership with service users and their families, the Occupational Therapist will look into the difficulties experienced and put into place individualised plans to overcome these. Services are provided both in community and hospital-based settings, with the focus on people returning to, or remaining at home or in having a good quality of life inpatient units. This is carried out through individual and group work with the aim of providing people with the confidence, skills, know-how and connections to begin to take control of their own lives. There are currently 6 Occupational Therapists employed in the service. Services are spread over 5 Adult Multidisciplinary teams, the Psychiatry of old age team and the Rehabilitation team. Access to these services is via referral to these teams.
Further information available by contacting 094 9042131.
Psychology Services
Clinical Psychologists are qualified to apply a broad range of theoretical and therapeutic models to address a wide range of complex mental health problems in a manner that is individually tailored to best meet the unique needs of the client(s). The Clinical Psychology service of Mayo Adult Mental Health Service aims to provide an efficient and effective service to adequately alleviate psychological distress and to promote the psychological well-being, quality of life and health of clients through the application of evidence-based psychological knowledge and clinical skills.
Further information available by contacting 094 9042131.
Social Work Services
The social work department was set up on the 1st May 2000, and has grown to six social workers (4 full-time positions). Providing a range of interventions and support towards empowerment to patients and their families. The main area of demand is in emotional support, discharge planning, housing, bereavement counselling, mediation, psycho-dynamic counselling, problem-solving, socio/legal/ economic and family therapy. Emphasis is placed on addressing the need of preparing the person for discharge, the individual’s home environment, and their capability to manage and be supported in the daily living is addressed. Supports are sought and serviced (if possible) and social work plays a significant role in mobilising a wide range of resources both voluntary and statutory, enabling the person to manage their life independently in their own home environment.
Social work intervention with people receiving a Mental Health Service is to ensure the person can adapt to their social environment and have better relationships with family, friends and members of the community, helping patients to accomplish their life tasks, help them deal with their illness encourage them to realize their aspirations and values in all areas of their life.
Further information available by contacting 094 9042131.
Practice Development
There is a Department of Practice Development for all of Mayo Mental Health Services based in St Mary’s Campus, Castlebar. The aim of practice development is to ensure all nursing staff have the skills, knowledge and supports to deliver high-quality care that is evidence-based. This can be done through facilitating change in practice, co-ordinating training/professional development and development of policies and guidelines.
The undergraduate nursing programme is given on a partnership process by HSE and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. Support of student nurses while they are on placement in clinical areas, ensuring the clinical learning environment is optimum and assisting nursing staff in their role with students falls under the remit of practice development.
There are three staff in this department; Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator (1) and ClinicalPlacement Co-ordinators (2).
Further information available by contacting 094 9042080.
Risk Management
The risk management department is based in St. Mary’s Campus, Castlebar. The aim of the Risk management department is to promote an integrated approach to the management of risk both Clinical and Non-Clinical; among all staff working within our service.
The risk management department endeavours to work in a pro-active way with all departments and colleagues to deliver a quality and safe service for service users and staff.
“A major element of programmes to improve patient safety is having the capacity and capability to capture information on adverse events, errors and near misses so that it can be used as a source of learning and a basis for preventative action in the future” World Alliance for Patient Safety (2004)
Risk Management Department is involved in the following activities
- Promotion of Incident reporting
- Education & awareness of programmes on risk management
- Analysis & investigation of incidents
- Promotions of a learning culture through the organisation
Further information available by contacting 094 9042115.
Medical Services
The Service has 7 Consultant Psychiatrists and 1 specialising in the Psychiatry of Old Age and also one specialising in Rehabilitation services with the support of Junior Medical Staff. This Service is approved for training purposes for Junior Doctors by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Advocacy Services
Advocacy Services were introduced to Mayo Mental Health Services in January 2001. This was the first advocacy service for mental health in Ireland. This Irish Advocacy Network exists to promote and facilitate peer advocacy. This is achieved through the provision of information and support for mental health service users. Their aim is to support people speaking up for themselves and achieving empowerment to take control of their own lives. The Network offers a listening ear, befriending service and supervised advocacy service. The Irish Advocacy Network also offers an accredited peer advocacy training course, to enable people who use mental health services to advocate for themselves and others. This course has been facilitated twice in the Mayo Mental Health Services. An Advocate is present where possible at all non-clinical meetings and regularly attends Heads of Department meetings thus influencing Policy and service delivery.
Message from John Boyce included:
“Hi, my name is John J. Boyce, and I am The Regional Advocate forCounty Roscommon, County Mayo and West Galway. I visit the Unit in Galway university College Hospital on Monday, Roscommon Unit on Tuesday and Adult Mental Health Unit, Mayo General Hospital Castlebar on Wednesday. I also visit Day Centres and day hospitals, Continuing Care Units and Training Centres throughout theWestern HSE area.
My work is varied and always busy and I feel very privileged to be doing this work. The sheer amount of people who are termed unwell is quite amazing so don’t ever think you are alone.”
