It now seems certain that St Senans will have its license denied renewal next February, leading to the closure of the long standing hospital for the mentally ill. But where will the people who need this service go now?
As it stands, St Senans is the only full time psychiatric facility in Wexford. Last year it took in over eight hundred admissions. It has between sixty and ninety long term patients, depending on if you prefer to believe the Wexford People or Fianna Fails statistics. Without any doubt, the hospital is providing a vital service to this county.
And now the government wants to close it.
This morning, Fianna Fail TD Sean Connick, said that he would like to assure the people of Wexford that upon St senans closure, all long term patients would have already been rehoused in other facilities within this county.
Sean refused to be dragged into details such as WHERE exactly these patients would be sent. This government has a habit of sending unwanted people to halfway houses, where the only thing awaiting them is neglect.
Is that the fate that awaits the long term patients of St Senans?
The unit for those people with intellectual disabilities is to be moved to a new facility at St Johns. Construction has not even BEGAN on this building yet. Despite this, the government still claims this is where these particular patients will be sent next March.
Its expected that ALL admissions will now have to be dealt with from Waterford. As most admissions to St Senans are recorded at night due to the stigma still attached to mental illness, this will mean that many will not seek help.
Once again, the Government has turned its back on Wexfords vital services.
Only now they have also forsaken some of our most vulnerable citizens.
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