St Vincent's Hospital, FairviewOutpatient Services

Psychiatry of old age

Description of Service:

The North Dublin Psychiatry of Old Age Service provides a service for people who develop mental health problems for the first time over the age of 65 years. .

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The service consists of a multidisciplinary team led by the Clinical Director. The team includes consultant psychiatrists, director of nursing, community psychiatric nurses, occupational therapist and administrative support. The objective of the service is to provide prompt assessment and treatment within the person’s home thereby causing minimal disruption to their life. The catchment areas are Dublin North West and North Central.

Services Provided:

  • If patients are living in their own home an assessment by a psychiatrist is provided for them within their own home.
  • Where the patient is a hospital inpatient at the time of referral, the assessment is carried out by one of the psychiatrists on the team in the hospital.

This means a minimum of disruption in terms of travelling is required for the patient and it makes the service more accessible to the patient.

After assessment, where indicated, a treatment plan is drawn up which may involve the community mental health nurse service and/or attendance at the day hospital depending on the nature and severity of the illness. A day hospital is available in each of the two community care areas covered by the service. For those patients who are suffering from a very severe mental illness and for whom home care is not advisable admission to the service’s specialist acute psychiatric unit in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview for a short period of intensive treatment is provided.

Access to Service:

  • For people living at home referrals to the service are made by their general practitioner.
  • For patients from the catchment of the service who are currently inpatients in a general hospital such as the Mater or Connolly Hospital the referral is made by the hospital consultant or a medical member of his/her team.

Contact Names and Numbers:

Department Secretary: Telephone: 01 8600488  /  01 7784250