Updated February 2013 

EPSO contact person Patricia Gilheaney
 

Information about THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION(s) in  Republic of Ireland; Mental Health Commission

1. COUNTRY/REGION
Website of the supervisory organisation:
www.mhcirl.ie
Mental Health Commission
Republic of Ireland

Is this website in English or partly in English?
English

Contact person(s)
Name and function
Ms Deirdre Hyland
Mental Health Information Officer
Address
St Martin’s House
Waterloo Road,
Dublin 4
Ireland

Email
Deirdre.hyland@mhcirl.ie

Telephone number
+353 1 6362402
 

2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION(s)
The Head of the Supervisory Organisation (name and function).
Patricia Gilheaney
Chief Executive
Size of the Supervisory Organisation:
38 whole time equivalent staff plus 350 contractors.

Number of inspections/supervisions or number of inspectors or number of full time equivalents of people working in the organisation; number of hospitals or health institutions under supervision
All tertiary mental health services in Ireland are under the supervision of the Mental Health Commission. This includes 65 in-patient facilities and all community- based mental health services – day hospitals, day centres, crisis intervention teams, rehabilitation teams and residential facilities..

Number of people working in the organisations

Other relevant information about the Supervisory Organisation in your country or region
The Organisation is also responsible for the system of independent reviews of all persons detained under the Mental Health Act 2001 through the automatic provision of free legal aid, independent examination by consultant psychiatrists and mental health tribunal hearings.  Since the commencement of the relevant provisions on1 November 2006 over 11,000 mental health tribunals have convened.
Web address
www.mhcirl.ie

3. THE SCOPE OF THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION(s)
Is there supervision on health care in general?
The Mental Health Commission’s remit extends to all mental health services in Ireland.  Other health and social care services are under the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority.
Is there supervision on hospitals
Yes – mental health units
Is there supervision on other health care institutions like nursing homes / convalescent homes?
NO
Is there supervision on the production and the use of medicines?
Yes, in licensed in-patient mental health units.

Is there a supervisory relation with health care professionals? If yes, what kind of relation
The Mental Health Commission is a member of the Healthy and Social Care Regulatory Forum.  This is an informal network of regulators and it includes the professional regulatory bodies for medicine, nursing and midwifery and allied health professionals.
Other relevant information about the scope of the supervisory organisation.
The Mental Health Commission is empowered under the Mental Health Act 2001 to make rules for certain interventions and treatments, e.g. Electroconvulsive Therapy; seclusion and restraint.

4. METHODS OF INSPECTATION OR SUPERVISION
What methods of inspection or supervision are used in your country/region?
All inspections are unannounced. Inpatient facilities are inspected at least annually. All other mental Health services are inspected as determined by the Inspector of Mental Health Services. The Mental Health Commission set standards for mental health services, rules and codes of practice and the Inspector and Assistant Inspectors are required to ascertain compliance. In addition, compliance with statutory regulations as prescribed by the Minister for Health is also ascertained by the Inspector. 
The reports of the Inspector are subsequently provided to the Commission and the Commission takes whatever action it deems appropriate through the Chief Executive.
Other information about the methods of inspection in your country / region
See above
Other regulators commission other organisations to monitor against standards
no

5. WHAT IS THE COMPETENCE OF THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION IN YOUR COUNTRY?
Is the supervisory organisation entitled to use compulsory measures  (sanction/repression/enforcement)
Yes.
Is the supervisory organisation entitled to take precautions and implement measures to prevent accidents or incidents?
yes
Does the supervisory organisation have the authority to close institutions or stop non proper healthcare
yes
Is the supervisory organisation allowed to interfere in other ways? Can remove licence, enforce recommendations for social care centres . If yes, in what way?
The Mental Health Commission is responsible for the registration/licensing system for in-patient facilities and may attach conditions to registration or remove registration if it deems it to beappropriate.
Other relevant information about the competence of the supervisory organisation

6. INTERESTING ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS IN YOUR COUNTRY/REGION
• An Expert Group has been appointed by the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services to review the Mental Health Act 2001. The Mental Health Commission is represented on the Expert Group.  The Expert Group will report to the Minister in late Spring 2013.
• Incremental reorientation of mental health services to Community settings.