Mr. Owen Ryan:

In terms of evaluation, we have to be very careful that we are gathering the right information. There is a great opportunity for a patient and public involvement, PPI, approach whereby we bring peers and students into the process so that we make sure that the interventions are delivering what people need rather than predetermining what is needed.

In terms of the barriers, Dr. Morning alluded to the fact that self stigma is a huge issue. We have to get people used to talking about their mental health. We need to do that as early as possible. That starts at preschool, when a fireman comes into a school to say he puts out fires. Perhaps we need people to know about counsellors being the people we talk to when we are not feeling well. We need to equip people to deal with the emotional stresses of life, which are the catalyst for more serious challenges later on.

We need strategic thinking about everything we do. If we wait until we need the kind of interventions we are talking about today, that will be too late for many people. We have to go back to early intervention and ensure that we are equipping as many people as possible to recognise their mental health issues and give them the tools to address them. That does not take away from the fact that there are times when extra support will be needed and have to be in place. It is about a holistic approach.