According to the report, there were 15,939 admissions to Irish psychiatric units and hospitals in 2023.* This includes 15,631 admissions to adult units and hospitals, and 308 to child and adolescent units. There was a slight decrease in the rate of admissions to adult units and hospitals from 332 in 2022 to 304 per 100,000 of the total population** in 2023.

Similar to previous years, depressive disorders accounted for the highest proportion of all adult admissions, followed by schizophrenia. For the first time on NPIRS, in 2023, eating disorders were the most common diagnoses for admissions to child and adolescent units along with depressive disorders. While similar proportions of adult admissions were female and male, almost three in four of all child and adolescent admissions were female, continuing a trend seen over recent years.

Commenting on the findings, HRB Chief Executive, Dr Mairéad O Driscoll said: “This HRB data will be of value to service providers and policy-makers to help plan and deliver inpatient psychiatric services in line with people’s needs.”

Summary of all key findings in 2023

Admissions to adult units and hospitals

Overall, there were 15,631 admissions to Irish adult psychiatric units and hospitals in 2023, with the rate of admissions per 100,000 total population decreasing from 332 per 100,000 in 2022 to 304 in 2023.

  • Admissions who were new to in-patient treatment increased by 426(8%), from from 5,412 in 2022 to 5,838 in 2023.
  • Re-admissions accounted for 63% of all admissions, decreasing from 10,378 in 2022 to 9,793 in 2023.
  • There was an equal proportion of male and female admissions.
  • The 20-24 years age group had the highest rate of all admissions, at 472 per 100,000.
  • A total of 302 admissions reported having no fixed abode in 2023, an increase from 291 in 2022.
  • The rate of involuntary admissions has decreased from a rate of 56 per 100,000 in 2022, to 50 in 2023.
  • 3 in 10 of admissions reporting having no fixed abode in 2023 were involuntary admissions.
  • There were 15,413 discharges and 80 deaths in adult psychiatric units and hospitals in 2023.
  • The average length of stay for all discharges in 2023 was 48 days (median 15 days).

Antoinette Daly, Research Officer at the HRB and co-author of the report, says: “We are seeing that adult admissions are most likely to be single, middle aged, unemployed and diagnosed with a depressive disorder, with schizophrenia and anxiety or fear-related disorders/OCD/stress-related disorders being the second and third most common diagnoses respectively.”

Child and adolescent admissions

  • There were 322 admissions for under 18s in 2023, down from 366 in 2022, and 509 in 2021.***
  • There were 14 admissions for under 18s to adult units and hospitals in 2023, down from 20 in 2022, continuing a trend seen over recent years.
  • There were 308 admissions to child and adolescent units, down from 346 in 2022 and 480 in 2021.
  • 7 in 10 admissions for under 18s were female.
  • 3 in 10 of all admissions were aged 17 years on admission; 1 in 4 were aged 16 years; 18% were aged 15 years; 16% were aged 14 years, and 9% were aged 13 years and under on admission.
  • The two most common diagnoses for admissions under 18 were eating disorders (24%, up from 22% in 2022) and depressive disorders (24%, relatively unchanged from 23% in 2022), followed by anxiety or fear-related disorders/OCD/stress-related disorders (21%, up from 16% in 2022) and schizophrenia (10%).
  • Females accounted for 9 in 10 (92%) of all admissions for eating disorders.
  • The proportion of admissions with a primary diagnosis of eating disorders for all under 18s has progressively increased from 11% in 2019 to 24% in 2023.

Commenting on trends observed, Antoinette Daly says: “Over the last 5 years we have seen a progressive increase in admission rates for children and adolescents presenting with eating disorders, rising from 11% in 2019 to 24% in 2023. For the first time, eating disorders accounted for the highest proportion of all under 18 admissions along with depressive disorders.”

Census as of 31 December 2023

The HRB conducts a census of patients resident in Irish psychiatric units and hospitals on 31 December each year. Key figures from the 2023 census include:

  • There were 2,021 patients resident in psychiatric units and hospitals on 31 December 2023.
  • Almost 2 in 5 (36%) were long-stay patients, being resident in hospital for at least one year.
  • Over one-third (35%) of all long-stay patients were aged 65 and over.

* It should be noted that admissions and discharges represent an episode of treatment rather than a person admitted, i.e. the same person could be admitted more than one time and the admissions are recorded separately. Admissions do not necessarily represent incidence of mental illness but rather the activity of in-patient services.
** Rates reported are per 100,000 total population based on the Census of Population 2022 (https://data.cso.ie/).
*** Of note is the closure of a number of child and adolescent beds mid-2022 remain closed in 2023, which may be linked to the decrease in the number of admissions.

Ends

Link to download full report

View and download infographic

For further information or to organise interviews with experts, please contact:
Suzanne Kenny, Communications Officer, Health Research Board
m +353 85 8500 494 e skenny@hrb.ie

NOTE TO EDITORS
The report is compiled from data supplied by the 67 approved psychiatric units and hospitals on the Register of Approved Centres under the Mental Health Act 2001.

The Health Research Board (HRB) is Ireland’s lead funding agency supporting innovative health research and delivering data and evidence that improves people’s health and patient care. We are committed to putting people first, and ensuring data and evidence are used in policy and practice to overcome health challenges, advance health systems, and benefit society and economy.