REQUESTS FOR COUNSELLING SOARS
Requests for counselling in Omagh soars
By Marie Foy
REFERRALS to the Omagh community health team rose by 50% last month with more and more people seeking counselling following the bomb tragedy.
The Sperrin Lakeland Trust said it planned to increase staff numbers to help cope with the influx. Mental health services in the area are at full stretch and the pressure is expected to increase because of a reduction in the long-stay patient beds at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.
The Trust recently announced that it would be cutting the number of continuing-care beds from 62 to 20.
Sean Collins, chairman of the local Royal College of Nursing branch, said: "We would have referral meetings once a week. An audit showed that there has been an increase of 50% the normal rate.
"Staff are coping as well as they can. Extra staff are being brought in to help. Like referrals anywhere, there are waiting lists but we want to minimise the waiting time people have before they are seen."
Mr Collins said it could be weeks, months or even years before all those who need help come forward for counselling.
"A lot of people thought over the short term that they were coping.
"But there has been no reduction in their symptoms and they are now corning forward," he explained.
"Sometimes people can turn to alcohol as a bridging gap but it catches up with them eventually.
"People can have certain strains in their lives and something like Omagh can be the straw that breaks the camel's back," he added.
Mr Collins said staff too needed counselling and could suffer flashbacks and nightmares.
Some felt they couldn't go for counselling because they were concerned it would show weakness.
By Marie Foy
REFERRALS to the Omagh community health team rose by 50% last month with more and more people seeking counselling following the bomb tragedy.
The Sperrin Lakeland Trust said it planned to increase staff numbers to help cope with the influx. Mental health services in the area are at full stretch and the pressure is expected to increase because of a reduction in the long-stay patient beds at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.
The Trust recently announced that it would be cutting the number of continuing-care beds from 62 to 20.
Sean Collins, chairman of the local Royal College of Nursing branch, said: "We would have referral meetings once a week. An audit showed that there has been an increase of 50% the normal rate.
"Staff are coping as well as they can. Extra staff are being brought in to help. Like referrals anywhere, there are waiting lists but we want to minimise the waiting time people have before they are seen."
Mr Collins said it could be weeks, months or even years before all those who need help come forward for counselling.
"A lot of people thought over the short term that they were coping.
"But there has been no reduction in their symptoms and they are now corning forward," he explained.
"Sometimes people can turn to alcohol as a bridging gap but it catches up with them eventually.
"People can have certain strains in their lives and something like Omagh can be the straw that breaks the camel's back," he added.
Mr Collins said staff too needed counselling and could suffer flashbacks and nightmares.
Some felt they couldn't go for counselling because they were concerned it would show weakness.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0459
Published Date: 17-Oct-98
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