The Irish Mental Health Coalition has warned that unless political leadership is taken to address underlying problems across mental health services, the issue will become a thorn in the side of the next government.
Addressing an election hustings on mental health in the Mansion House this evening (24.04.07), John Saunders, Chairperson of the Irish Mental Health Coalition, said that people who have experienced inadequacies in our mental health services are becoming more vocal and more determined to challenge politicians.
“In recent times, people who have experienced our mental services at first hand are no longer willing to tolerate the under-funding, lack of transparency and poor accountability that characterise the management and delivery of these services. People are becoming more vocal and, coupled with increased media coverage, they are succeeding in making mental health a burning issue for our policy makers. For the first time we can expect mental health to be an election issue,” he said.
Tonight’s election hustings was organised by the Irish Mental Health Coalition which comprises Amnesty International (Irish Section), Bodywhys (the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland), GROW in Ireland, the Irish Advocacy Network and Schizophrenia Ireland. The Coalition was launched in June 2006 and advocates for the right to the highest attainable standard of mental health care in Ireland. Its establishment followed the publication the National Mental Health Strategy in 2006.
Participating in the event were Deputy Brian Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Fianna Fáil)); Deputy Dan Neville, Fine Gael Deputy Spokesperson on Health; Deputy Liz McManus, Labour Party Spokesperson on Health and Children; Deputy Tim O’Malley, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Progressive Democrats); Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Health and Children; Deputy John Gormley, Green Party Spokesperson on Health and Children and Deputy Paudge Connelly, who represented the Group of Independent TDs.
During the hustings John Saunders said that the National Mental Health Strategy - A Vision for Change - which was published in January 2006 contained the right sign-posts for mental health policy and services in the future. However, he warned that since its publication 14 months ago, very little has been delivered.
“Political leadership from the highest level is now required to ensure the delivery of all of the targets set out in the Mental Health Strategy. Since the publication of A Vision for Change, the actions that have been undertaken have been very limited. The main deliverables have been the formation of the Monitoring Group by the Minister for Health and Children, and the establishment of the Implementation Group by the HSE.
“Given that a seven-year timetable has been agreed for the delivery of the Strategy’s targets, it now a matter of concern that so little has been achieved to date. Unless progress is accelerated the seven year timetable will become irrelevant very soon. This would seriously undermine our already under-resourced mental health services.
“As a matter of priority, the Mental Health Coalition is seeking wide ranging changes in the management and organisation of our mental health services. These changes – which would include the establishment of a National Mental Health Directorate – are well documented in A Vision for Change. Prioritising such changes will make way for the implementation of other improvements in the delivery of more responsive and appropriate mental health services and policy.
“Every family in the country is affected by mental health problems, directly or indirectly. Where people with mental health problems do not receive timely and appropriate services, the costs of dealing with the fallout are borne by other systems, and by taxpayers. The social cost too, is massive, for instance in terms of the social exclusion, unemployment, poverty and homelessness experienced by people with mental health problems.
“Deep-rooted systemic problems underpin the continued inadequacy and inequity of mental health services. If unaddressed by the next government, may derail the Mental Health Strategy,” warned John Saunders.
The Irish Mental Health Coalition is campaigning for the implementation of A Vision for Change with prioritisation of the following:
- The establishment of the National Mental Health Directorate.
- The establishment of the National Service User Executive.
- The formation of the mental health catchment areas as outlined in a Vision for Change.
- The formation of the mental health catchment management teams.
- Concrete moves towards the recruitment of sufficient numbers ofqualified healthcare personnel.
- Training to enable full resourcing of Community Mental Health Teams.
