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

A Vision for Change, published in 2006, set out a ten-year policy framework for Ireland's mental health services. It recommended that interventions should be aimed at maximising recovery from mental illness and building on service user and social network resources to achieve meaningful integration and participation in community life.

The Government is committed to increasing the mental health budget annually, as evidenced by the substantial additional funding of some €200 million provided for mental health from 2012 to 2018.

The implementation of A Vision for Change has been given specific priority in recent years with the additional ring-fenced funding specifically aimed at modernising mental health services in line with the programme for Government commitments. A key focus has been approval of some 1,550 additional posts to strengthen community mental health teams; enhancing specialist community mental health and forensic services, increasing access to counselling and psychotherapy; and developing suicide prevention initiatives. These posts are directly facilitating the policy of moving away from traditional institution-based care to a patient-centred, flexible and community-based mental health service. Staff recruitment and retention have been a challenge for the HSE for various reasons, with approximately two thirds of these posts filled so far in certain CHO areas. Recruitment continues and the HSE has also prioritised in particular the staffing of CAMHS units and community-based CAMHS teams.

CHO 1 serves a population of 103,778 people aged from zero to 18 years. Adjusted for population changes, A Vision for Change recommendations would result in a total of 107 whole-time equivalents being required across all community CAMHS teams. There are currently 75 whole-time equivalents in post, and a further seven whole-time equivalent approved and funded posts undergoing recruitment, that is, 76% of the recommended level. CHO 1 continues to work with the HSE mental health division to influence the prioritisation of additional funding for ongoing investment in CAMHS teams. The commitment to the continued programme for Government funding will support implementation of the Vision for Change recommendations.

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