St John of God University Hospital

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St John of God University Hospital

We are a non-profit mental health service provider in Ireland. Referrals are accepted nationally and internationally. Registered Charity Number 20069858.

St John of God Hospital retains a leadership role in developing innovative and effective treatment programmes for people experiencing mental health problems. In addition to providing excellent clinical treatment and care to patients and their families, we are committed as teaching hospital to training healthcare professionals and to conducting clinical research designed to enhance treatment progra

mmes to improve outcomes for patients and the overall enhancement of their quality of life. Service users care is facilitated by a multi-disciplinary team including Psychiatrists, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists and Therapists. We are affiliated with University College Dublin for undergraduate and postgraduate education, Dublin City University for postgraduate education, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Irish College of Psychiatrists for postgraduate training in psychiatry. An extensive clinical research programme operates throughout the Order's Mental Health Services. Assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and care are provided in accordance with the highest professional standards and always in keeping with the ethos and caring traditions as modelled for us by Saint John of God. The core values of St John of God Hospital are Hospitality, Compassion and Respect. These values underpin our actions and decisions in the delivery of the highest quality, evidence-based care. The Hospital holds a certificate of registration with the Mental Health Commission as an ‘Approved Centre’ in compliance with the Mental Health Act (2001). Saint John of God Hospital Company Limited by Guarantee is a registered charity.

26/05/2026

"Students are straight in. They're getting involved in anything that's happening on the wards, and they're very much supervised from stage one onwards." – Shona Giles

On our latest episode of The Stigma Shift, Shona Giles, Clinical Placement Coordinator at St John of God University Hospital, discusses what clinical placement really looks like for student mental health nurses.

Shona reflects on how students are encouraged to be involved from day one, rather than simply observing. She speaks about how this immersive approach helps bridge the gap between academic learning and clinical practice, and why it is so important for building confidence and communication skills early on.

Listen to the episode now on The Stigma Shift here: https://lnkd.in/ddDQZ4SB

25/05/2026

At St John of God University Hospital, we are proud to support young people’s mental health through the work of the Ginesa Centre for Adolescent Mental Health.

As part of this commitment, we are subsidising two upcoming online Youth Mental Health First Aid courses, delivered by Mental Health First Aid Ireland in collaboration with the Ginesa Centre. Youth Mental Health First Aid equips adults with the skills and confidence to support young people who may be struggling with their mental health. Participants learn how to recognise early warning signs, approach supportive conversations, and respond appropriately in both emerging and crisis situations.

The programme is suitable for anyone regularly engaging with young people, including parents, teachers, coaches, youth workers, community volunteers, and workplace mentors supporting younger colleagues or trainees.

St John of God University Hospital is offering subsidised places on both courses at €175 per person for the full 14-hour programme.

Upcoming course dates (Delivered via Zoom):
Course 1 | Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 June 2026
Course 2| Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September 2026

Places are limited and .
Register here: https://mhfaireland.ie/events/49-youth-mental-health-first-aid-public/

23/05/2026

"Well, what the continuum helps you to do is recognise the small changes... it's noticing those changes that I'm not myself anymore. I don't feel like going to the gym... changes in my sleep, my mood. Am I getting irritable with the traffic?... They interlink. I don't have mental health without my physical health, and physical health without my mental health, because I know that when my mental health is struggling, I'm going to struggle to sleep." - Jacqui Mulligan

In this episode of The Stigma Shift, Jacqui Mulligan reflects on the importance of recognising the subtle changes in ourselves before they begin to escalate. She discusses how the mental health continuum helps move conversations beyond the idea of being simply “well” or “unwell”, encouraging greater awareness of the shifts that can appear in day-to-day life, whether through changes in sleep, motivation, mood or irritability.

Jacqui also highlights the close relationship between physical and mental health, and how difficulties in one area often begin to affect the other. Recognising these patterns early can help people respond with greater self-awareness and seek support.

Stream The Stigma Shift Podcast here: https://lnkd.in/en34FPWf

19/05/2026

“It takes discipline to stay physically fit and healthy, and that's exactly the same when it comes to your mental health.” - Jacqui Mulligan

Mental health is constantly in flux across a spectrum or continuum. Most people spend their lives in the “middle zones,” not the extremes of well or unwell. Jacqui highlights that maintaining mental health requires daily commitment, just like physical fitness. Learn how the 'Working Mind' tool helps individuals recognise small changes before they escalate.

Listen now with The Stigma Shift Podcast here: https://lnkd.in/en34FPWf

17/05/2026

Prof Colin O'Gara, Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of Addiction Services at St John of God University Hospital, joined RTE Radio 1 to speak about gambling addiction and the impact of online access, particularly for young men.

He spoke about how much the landscape has changed over the past 10 to 20 years, with gambling now available around the clock and, as he described it, “a casino in the pocket”. Professor O’Gara also discussed the need for stronger regulation, the importance of mandatory limits, and why gambling addiction can often be recognised by family members before the person affected is able to see it themselves.

Listen to the full clip here: https://soundcloud.com/stjohnofgodhospital/professor-colin-ogara-on?si=b977e0d8d0384a79931cf299405af126&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

16/05/2026

“The commitment in general, that word itself, like it is such a huge commitment that someone has decided this is what they want to do with their career as a mental health nurse. You're very much the person walking alongside someone while they're in a really vulnerable position in their lives. What needs to be acknowledged is that someone must really want it if that's what they're willing to do for that. It can be quite an emotionally taxing kind of training.” - Shona Giles

The commitment in general, that word itself, like it is such a huge commitment that someone has decided this is what they want to do with their career as a mental health nurse. You're very much the person walking alongside someone while they're in a really vulnerable position in their lives. What needs to be acknowledged is that someone must really want it if that's what they're willing to do for that.”

Shona Giles joins us for the latest episode of The Stigma Shift podcast to discuss supporting the next generation of nursing students. Listen at the link in our bio.

15/05/2026

St John of God University Hospital marked Hello, How Are You? Day today, supported by Denise, our Health Promotion Nurse Specialist, and Eoin and Louise from our Consumer and Carer Advocacy Group (CCAG).

The campaign is built around a simple question that can often become part of the background of daily life: “How are you?” Today’s event was a reminder that “how are you?” is more than a greeting when we take the time to listen.

Across the hospital, service users, colleagues and visitors were invited to take a moment, enjoy a cup of tea, and connect through conversation. Through this we create space for people to feel seen, heard and supported.

Hello, How Are You? reminds us that supporting mental health does not always begin with a formal conversation or a clinical setting. Sometimes it begins with a pause, a proper check-in, and the willingness to listen.

Thank you to everyone who supported today’s event and helped create a warm, welcoming space for conversation and connection.

Mental Health Ireland

14/05/2026

Join us tonight for an online GP education session exploring the role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in psychiatry.

Delivered by Dr Giedrius Gerulskis, the session will look at where TMS sits within current treatment approaches, who it may be suitable for, and what GPs need to know when considering it as part of a patient’s care pathway.

This session is designed to support practical, informed decision-making in everyday clinical practice.

For further information or to register, please contact comms.hosp@sjog.ie

12/05/2026

Today marks International Nurses Day, with this year’s theme, Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.

At St John of God University Hospital, this theme has particular meaning. Last year, we marked 100 years of nursing education at the hospital, recognising a long tradition of learning, care and professional formation in mental health nursing. Today, that legacy continues through the nurses, educators and clinical teams who support students as they prepare to enter the profession.

As our Director of Nursing, Bernard English, notes, International Nurses Day is an important opportunity to recognise the “commitment, professionalism and compassion” demonstrated by nurses across our hospital every day. It is also a moment to reflect on our shared responsibility to support and develop our nursing workforce, while continuing to invest in the next generation of nurses.

To mark the day, this special episode of The Stigma Shift features Shona Giles, Clinical Placement Coordinator and registered mental health nurse at St John of God University Hospital, about supporting mental health nursing students during clinical placement.

Shona discusses the importance of positive learning environments, mentorship, reflective practice, reasonable accommodations and the confidence students build as they move from academic learning into clinical care. Her episode brings this year’s theme to life: empowered nurses are not only central to care today, they are essential to the future of mental health services.

We extend our sincere thanks to all nursing colleagues across the hospital for their continued dedication, care and professionalism.

Listen to the episode now on The Stigma Shift here: https://podfollow.com/stjohn/episode/099836b0d35cd4ca3044d14598e3df9cd725e73d/view

Learn more about our nursing department's contributions here: https://www.stjohnofgodhospital.ie/international-nurses-day-2026

11/05/2026

“Mental health isn't about waiting for that crisis. It's about paying attention early. It's about paying attention to my own mental health and my well-being... We then prevent so much unnecessary suffering. This is where The Working Mind gives organisations the tools to do exactly that: to move from awareness to action, from stigma to understanding, and from crisis response to genuine prevention.”
-Jacqui Mulligan

Jacqui Mulligan emphasises that most harm in the workplace occurs long before an employee reaches a breaking point. The focus must fundamentally shift from a reactive crisis response to genuine, continuous prevention.

By teaching teams to recognise the “smaller shifts” in themselves and their colleagues, organisations can create environments of psychological safety where people feel confident enough to speak up early. This proactive approach, championed by The Working Mind programme, moves organisations beyond superficial awareness to practical, human action and understanding.

Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/en34FPWf

08/05/2026

We were delighted to welcome National Care Experience Programme Deputy Director Tracy O’Carroll and Project Lead Anna Maria Verling to St John of God University Hospital recently.

Tracy and Anna Maria met with our Assistant Director of Nursing, Niall Delaney, to discuss the newly launched National Mental Health Experience Survey.

This is the first national survey of its kind in Ireland and is designed to hear directly from people about their experiences of inpatient mental health care, including admission, treatment, discharge and follow-up.

Eligible participants will receive an invitation by post and can complete the survey online using a QR code or return it by Freepost.

The survey is a joint initiative of the Department of Health, the Mental Health Commission and the HSE, facilitated by the National Care Experience Programme.

To learn more, visit yourexperience.ie

National Care Experience Programme

Address

Stillorgan Road, Blackrock
Dublin
A94FH92

Website

https://www.stjohnofgodhospital.ie/

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