People with mental disorders should receive acute psychiatric care at Mater Dei hospital while Mount Carmel should specialise in old-age psychiatry and dementia, according to Mental Health Commissioner John Cachia.
Rehabilitation and specialist care, as well as long-term residential care, should move to specialised units in the community, he says in his annual report tabled in Parliament.
One of the biggest challenges, he reports, is to sort out the different types of care – acute, rehabilitation, specialist and residential – which are all being delivered “within the derelict ward environment” of Mount Carmel.
The move of acute psychiatric care to Mater Dei would “follow the modern trend”.
Dr Cachia also promotes a move to Mater Dei of acute psychiatric services for children, adolescents and youths, saying he had challenged Parliamentary Committee on Health to consider this once the Paediatric Oncology service migrates.
“Within a proper acute care environment, there is the need to provide safe seclusion facilities to avoid the need to care for youngsters on adult wards,” he says, pointing out that some radical decisions were needed about the proper care of young people.
Young people with challenging behaviour also had the right to adequate aftercare within the community and this would best be achieved through specific supervised residential facilities.
There is the need to provide safe seclusion facilities to avoid the need to care for youngsters on adult wards
The report marks the third year of operation of the Mental Health Commissioner’s office, giving an account of the work it carried out in 2014.
Throughout the year, the office received and handled 24 cases of alleged breach of rights but there was no need to report any healthcare professional for breach of human rights.
In Dr Cachia’s view, Mount Carmel Hospital and the mental health wards of the Gozo General Hospital need extensive investment for proper refurbishment.
“The overall ambience of the wards is austere and dated. Some wards are in more urgent need of maintenance for leaking roofs and damp walls, some bathrooms need urgent upgrading.
“The environment, structure and furnishings of the Psychiatric Unit at Mater Dei Hospital should be the standard for care of psychiatric patients in a hospital setting and the environment.”
The Office of the Commissioner was officially set up as part of the new Mental Health Act approved in 2012.
This law requires the commissioner to perform regular inspections at all licensed mental health facilities. Between June and September of last year, 46 different units were visited, including Mount Carmel Hospital and day centres.