A “frozen” psychiatric patient wrote a desperate plea to the head of the National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) earlier this year, begging for something to be done about cold temperatures in the new €220 million central mental hospital.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) prevented the note from being released as it continued to deny that there were ongoing issues with heating systems at the state-of-the-art facility despite receiving more than 50 complaints from patients and staff.
However, the Irish Mirror has obtained the document through the Mental Health Commission (MHC), which has written to management at the NFMHS on a number of occasions this year over concerns regarding heating at the hospital.
READ MORE: Female patients evacuated from Central Mental Hospital ward over heating issues
The heart-breaking note addresses the head of the service, Pat Bergin, and reads: “I am writing to you from my room in which I am frozen. I have gloves on. Can something be done about it please.”
The psychiatric patient was not the only one to complain about temperatures at the new hospital in Portrane. It was reported in April that patients were having to sleep in their clothes and wear jackets inside due to cold conditions.
Shortly after the facility opened in November 2022, staff reported that “all patients [were] complaining the bedrooms are cold at night”.
They also reported that there was “no heating” in the art and craft room, while nursing staff had to wear “warm coats” while dispensing medication in mid-February, according to internal records.
It also emerged that the heating system in one part of the hospital had mistakenly been set at 15 degrees instead of 21 degrees. The HSE’s own website warns the public that “if the temperature falls below 16 degrees, you could be at risk of hypothermia”.
The health service insisted at the time that there were no “ongoing issues” with the heating system at the hospital. However, the Irish Mirror reported this week that female patients had to be moved from their ward for nearly 10 weeks due to problems with underfloor heating, hot water and extraction fans.
The issue was investigated and water was found to be “egressing” from the motor control centre panel. It transpired that rainwater had damaged plant controllers responsible for all mechanical systems.
In its correspondence to the management of the NFMHS regarding the issue, the MHC also referred to unsolicited information it had received regarding “further potential issues with heating systems”.
The HSE was asked why the note sent by the psychiatric patient to Mr Bergin had not been released in response to a freedom of information request seeking all complaints received in relation to heating issues at the facility.
“The information provided by the HSE in the FOI requests are accurate,” a spokesman replied.
“The HSE confirmed that, following the move into the new facility in November 2022, the temperature in certain areas of the facility needed adjustment,” he continued.
“Separately, due to rain damage to a control panel which impacted mechanical and electrical appliances in the attic of the unit, patients were relocated to another ward.”
All references to this incident were redacted from documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.
“There are no ongoing issues with the heating system at the NFMHS Portrane site,” the spokesman said.
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