TD seeks answers on how HSE will ensure sex offenders will not be seen at new unit

Answers have been demanded as to how the HSE will ensure that sex offenders or people with violent tendencies will not be seen as outpatients at their new offices at Nile Lodge.

Last week, the Galway City Tribune reported concerns expressed by the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association (PNA) that the relocation of the psychiatric outpatients unit from the grounds of UHG to Nile Lodge was “inappropriate”. The building is just yards from Scoil Fhursa.

This week, the HSE attempted to pour cold water on the story – and accused the Galway City Tribune of setting back mental health treatment in Galway by 20 years.

But local TD Hildegarde Naughton has now raised the matter with Health Minister Simon Harris, requesting an urgent review, prompting the HSE to issue the following statement: “We would like to reassure parents that the HSE does not provide treatment for sex offending behaviour in Sherwood House”.

Deputy Naughton has also requested specific details from the HSE on what procedures will be put in place so that the facility is not treating sex offenders, and how such a system will comply with data protection regulations.

Minister of State for Health Promotion, Catherine Byrne, will be in the city next week, and the matter is also expected to be raised with her.

A member of staff at Sherwood House told the Galway City Tribune: “Management said outpatients would not be seen at Sherwood House, then told the papers they would be see. Now they say they’ll be able to somehow segregate certain outpatients. How? Will they flag it on their file that they have a fixation with children? Or that they have violent tendencies? It’s not workable; even if they did manage such a system, how would it comply with data protection laws if these flags can be seen by all staff?

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.