Professor Anthony McCarthy:

Everybody working in mental health, irrespective of whether we are dealing with major mental illnesses or less severe ones such as anxiety or depression or serious psychotic illness, we spend our lives no matter which speciality, whether it is psychiatry, psychology or whatever, wondering where did it start, where did it begin, why did it happen and where are the multiple areas in which it can begin. One of the key things is early in life so early attachment and, therefore, any of the drug or alcohol problems are to do with security of family attachment, involvement of fathers, the care of babies right from the very beginning and the security of that. Dr. Wrigley said that this is a lovely area to work in. It is a lovely area to work in but it is a stressful one, and sometimes it is risky and highly demanding. There is a real feeling that if one can get in early then that is a valuable lifelong service, which is an aspect that helps to retain staff as well.