Professor Jim Lucey:

At St. Patrick's, we believe it is essential that we make the best services available to all those who need them, in particular to those people who are more disadvantaged in our society. Service development must be aware of the social determinants of ill-health; these are the real determinants. Groups of society on the margin who are homeless or disabled need more access to health services, not less.

There is a need for greater support for family members, in particular for family members caring for persons with mental health difficulties or disability.

Future developments in health care need to be evidence-based and new technologies introduced that are efficient and cost-effective and appropriate to an Irish context. This development will need the establishment of a continuing commitment to research into health care service implementation. We should begin this research by looking at the services required to address the mental health needs of our increasingly aging population.

We must identify the challenges present in recruiting and retaining staff to health services, and in particular to mental health services, and take steps to address the shortfalls that exist. To do that we should start by consulting with health care staff on the proposed changes we need to make and ensure they are sufficiently supported to allow them carry out their new and challenging roles.