This article is from page 11 of the 2006-01-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
PATIENTS presenting with alcohol disorders were the largest group admitted to the psychiatric unit in Ennis during 2004, a new report has revealed.
The figures in Activities of Irish Psychiatric Units and Hospitals 2004 by the Health Research Board show that those presenting with alcohol-related problems accounted for 22.5 per cent or 134 of the 597 admissions to the psychiatric acute unit in Ennis.
During the year, 33 people, or 5.5 per cent of all admissions, were admitted due to other drug disorders.
The next highest group admitted to psychiatric care was people suffering from depressive disorders at 117 or 19.6 per cent of the overall total.
Other categories include 103 patients or 17.3 per cent of the overall total admitted for schizophrenia; 68 or 11.4 per cent admitted for neuroses; 13 or 2.2 per cent admitted for eating disorders and 67 or 11.2 per cent admitted for mania and 9 or 1.5 per cent admitted for organic disorders.
The report also shows that the Mid-West area, along with the Southern area, had the largest number of non-voluntary admissions at 14 per cent each of the national total.
The percentage of psychiatric patients presenting for alcohol-related illness are much higher in Clare, though lower than the Tipperary percentage.
The report’s finding on the high percentage of people being admitted for alcohol-related problems follow Bushy Park treatment centre last month confirming that there has been a 40 per cent increase in 18- to 25-year-olds presenting for treatment in the past year.
Confirming the rise, the centre’s Director, Margaret Nash, said, “There is a growing problem of alcoholism and it is presenting itself at all levels.”
“The challenge for us two years or 18 months ago was to actually fill capacity at Bushy Park but, in the last year, we are at full capacity and have had an extensive waiting list.”
Bushy Park is to lodge a planning application in the first part of this year that will increase the centre’s capacity by 40 per cent.
The €2 million plan is to also include sports and recreation facilities for the residents, along with additional meeting rooms, and the planned expansion will increase the centre’s current residential capacity from 13 to 18 in 2007.