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Irish Psychiatric Association survey of psychiatric services in Ireland

Letterkenny General Hospital, Co. Donegal

The article by O’Keane et al (Psychiatric Bulletin, October 2004, 28, 364-367) provides a valuable insight into the deficiencies present in mental health in the Eastern Regional Health Authority (EHRA) in Ireland. Unfortunately the data presented do not represent ‘a national survey’. The consultant sample is only 8.2% of the 281 consultant psychiatrists employed in Ireland (Walsh, 2004) and hence the results of this survey are limited to only the EHRA respondees. The wide variation in the socio-economic and demographic profiles in different regions in Ireland noted by the authors and elsewhere (Central Statistics Office, 2003) alongside the variation in the management style, and political function of the various health boards, and differences in regional infrastructure also make the EHRA results non-generalisable to Ireland as a whole without further data.

The paper is a good start at examining the inequities of Irish mental healthcare but data including regions very different from Dublin and the East coast are essential in such a survey.

References

CENTRAL STATISTICS OFFICE (2003) Measuring Ireland’s Progress. Volume 1, 2003; Indicators Report. Dublin: Stationery Office (Government of Ireland).

WALSH, D. (2004) Report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals for 2003. Dublin: Stationery Office (Government of Ireland).

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Haley, C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Haley, C.