Portlaoise, County Laois, Republic of Ireland
The Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise provides 24-hour emergency, inpatient and outpatient healthcare services across Counties Laois, Kildare, Carlow, Offaly and North Tipperary. Its Department of Psychiatry underwent a phased redevelopment to improve patient safety and meet the anti-ligature and seclusion room requirements of the Mental Health Commission.
The upgrade included a new female seclusion room together with anti-ligature improvements to patient bedrooms, ensuites, washrooms, wardrobes and specialist windows. All materials and fixtures were selected to support a safe, secure and therapeutic clinical environment.
To support handover of the electrical works, Dewick & Associates was engaged to author the Electrical Services O&M Manual on behalf of the project’s electrical contractor.
Our focus was on producing a clear, compliant electrical Operations and Maintenance manual suited to a live psychiatric environment, where the long-term reliability of lighting, power and supporting electrical systems sits alongside the wider clinical safety standards expected by the HSE and the Mental Health Commission.
By Liana Ossai
Credit: Wikimedia under Common Creative license use
Region
Client
Completion Date
Project Value
Clarke was the electrical services contractor responsible for the electrical installation across the new female seclusion room and the wider anti-ligature upgrade at the Department of Psychiatry. The works were carried out within a working psychiatric unit, with strict controls around access, materials and tooling to protect both residents and staff during construction. Given the sensitivity of the setting and the specific HSE and Mental Health Commission expectations that apply to anti-ligature and seclusion environments, E. Clarke required a documentation partner who could turn the electrical installation into an O&M deliverable that the hospital’s facilities team could rely on for the operational life of the upgraded spaces.
Documenting electrical services within a live psychiatric healthcare environment required careful coordination to ensure clinical operations could continue safely throughout the upgrade works. With construction delivered in stages across occupied areas, maintaining accurate as-built records was critical so facilities teams could rely on the final documentation once the upgraded spaces became operational.
The O&M Manuals also needed to address the strict compliance requirements associated with healthcare facilities in the Republic of Ireland. Documentation was prepared to support compliance with Safe Electric requirements, the ETCI National Rules for Electrical Installations (ET101), healthcare operational standards and ongoing statutory maintenance obligations. In a psychiatric setting, this also included accurately documenting anti-ligature and patient safety considerations to support safe long-term operation and maintenance of the facility.
Drawing on our experience delivering documentation for live healthcare environments, Dewick & Associates technical authors produced a comprehensive Electrical Services O&M Manual tailored to the operational and compliance requirements of the psychiatric facility. Our in-house technical authors understood the importance of producing documentation that supports both patient safety and practical long-term maintenance within a live clinical setting.
The manual was structured around the final as-built installation and included equipment schedules, manufacturers’ technical data and clear preventative maintenance procedures for the new female seclusion room and anti-ligature upgrade works. Particular attention was given to organising the documentation so facilities teams could easily navigate systems serving the seclusion room separately from the wider unit, supporting safer and more efficient maintenance planning.
Our team also ensured the documentation aligned with the Republic of Ireland’s healthcare and electrical compliance requirements, including Safe Electric obligations and ETCI ET101 standards. By combining technical accuracy with an understanding of healthcare operational environments, Dewick & Associates delivered documentation that supports compliance, ongoing asset management and reliable day-to-day facility operation long after project completion.
The project resulted in a clear, compliant Electrical Services O&M Manual that supports the long-term operation of the upgraded Department of Psychiatry. The hospital’s facilities team has a structured reference for the electrical installation across the new female seclusion room and the wider anti-ligature upgrade, helping them optimise system performance and minimise the risk of disruption in a setting where reliable electrical services directly support resident safety.
For E. Clarke, the deliverable closes out the electrical handover to HSE expectations on a project that addresses long-standing requirements raised by the Mental Health Commission. More importantly, the documentation underpins the day-to-day operation of a unit that supports some of the most vulnerable patients in the Laois/Offaly Mental Health Services.
The content in this case study has been informed by project documentation and client communication provided to Dewick & Associates during and following the completion of the project. Where external sources have contributed to our understanding of relevant standards or industry practice, these are listed below.
Note: Some content in this case study draws on a combination of sources rather than direct quotation. Where this is the case, contributing sources are acknowledged above rather than cited inline.
Outsource to our expert team so you can stay focused on delivering high-quality on-site construction
