Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman for his good wishes, which are very much appreciated, and I thank Deputy Buckley for his good wishes also. I sincerely look forward to doing the role justice. I hope I will; I certainly will try my very best.

First and foremost, health care is about the individual and individual well-being. In January 2006, the Government adopted the report, as referred to by the Deputy, of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision for Change, as the basis for the future development of mental health services in Ireland. It advocated a move away from traditional institutionalised care to a patient-centred, flexible and community-based mental health service. It also recommended the organisation of mental health services nationally in catchment areas for populations of between 250,000 and 400,000, with specialist expertise provided by community mental health teams, that is, expanded multidisciplinary teams of clinicians who work together to service the needs of service users across the lifespan.

More than 90% of mental health needs can be successfully treated within a primary care setting, with less than 10% of patients being referred to specialist community-based mental health services. Of this number, approximately 10% are offered inpatient care, with 92% of all admissions being of a voluntary nature.

The spectrum of services provided by the HSE extends from promoting positive mental health through to supporting those experiencing severe and disabling mental illness. These services include specialised secondary care services for children, adolescents and adults. Services are provided in a number of different settings, including the service users' own homes. The service is integrated with primary care, acute hospitals, services for older people and services for people with disabilities and with a wide range of non-health sector partners.

Specialist mental health services provided include acute inpatient units, community-based mental health teams, day hospitals, outpatient clinics, community residential settings, continuing care settings and the national forensic mental health service. Primary care services are usually the first point of contact for individuals presenting with mental health problems directly through their GPs or other health service professionals.

Community mental health teams are the first line of acute secondary mental health care provision. They support individuals in their recovery in their own communities. The community mental health team co-ordinates a range of interventions for individuals in a variety of locations, including home care treatment, day hospital outpatient facilities and inpatient units, and interacts and liaises with specialist catchment or regional services to co-ordinate the care of individuals who require special consideration.

There are 51 HSE approved centres for adults spread across the nine community health care organisations, CHOs. In addition, there are six private approved centres for adults. There are also five CAMHS approved inpatient centres, four in the HSE and one private, that is, Willow Grove at St Patrick’s Hospital.

As well as a primary care GP network, which is often the first point of contact for someone who is experiencing mental health problems, there is a community team network of 119 HSE adult community mental health teams, 64 community CAMHS teams and 29 community teams responsible for older age psychiatry who deliver specialist community-based mental health treatments.

Since 2012, we have provided an additional €140 million for mental health services. This has helped to ensure that patients have access to community services and, in most cases, are not required to travel distances to access these services.

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