Mr. Liam Hennessy:

I am a service user, possibly the only one at the table today. In other occupations, that might have been seen as possible barrier to employment but, in the case of the HSE and the mental health division, it was actually a requirement in order for me to take up the post. The post was about putting in place structures across the country which would allow service users and their families to be involved in the delivery of services, as well as monitoring services as they are rolled out. Local structures have been put in place by the nine area leads across each CHO, which the national director referenced.

The curious thing is that, even at this early stage, we are starting to get feedback from the structures. The national director emphasised in public that this would not be just about consultation because it has been done in the past and largely ignored, or at least that is the perception of some service users and their families. The national director has emphasised very publicly that this is a two-way process. Services will be obligated to respond to the issues raised by service users and their families.