Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 15 together.

A psychiatrist has not yet been appointed to the Defence Forces. A review of the Defence Forces psychiatric service recommended the employment of a full-time military psychiatrist. The previous incumbent providing these services to the Defence Forces on contract retired in May 2018 while arrangements were being made to implement this recommendation.

To continue to provide an interim in-house service until such time as the military psychiatrist position could be filled, efforts were made to engage a locum psychiatrist. However, this proved to be unsuccessful.

Subsequently, it was agreed to launch a procurement process to contract a third-party private service provider for psychiatric services as a bridging arrangement pending the appointment of a locum or full-time psychiatrist.

A direct entrant competition for the position of military psychiatrist was launched on 26 July 2018 and closed on 30 September 2018. No applications were received for this competition.

Further options have been under consideration as to how to proceed. In this regard, I have recently given approval for my Department to conduct a competition for a contracted civilian psychiatrist. It should, however, be noted that there is a nationwide shortage of trained psychiatrists. The difficulty with recruitment for such a position is not unique to the Defence Forces.

Currently, patients presenting to Defence Forces primary carers - medical officers or contracted civilian GPs - with a requirement for urgent psychiatric assessment are referred to HSE emergency departments.

They are then assessed by the duty on-call psychiatric staff who triage referrals. These patients will either be admitted for inpatient care or referred onward to HSE outpatient psychiatric services, where appropriate.

It must be stressed that there is no delay in referring patients requiring immediate psychiatric care or assessment. On presentation to HSE emergency departments, those requiring hospitalisation are immediately admitted. The waiting time for non-urgent outpatient cases is approximately three months. Defence Forces primary carers have been authorised to refer cases to local external private psychiatrists for outpatient treatment where deemed appropriate to provide them with the broadest range of options in dealing with the spectrum of cases that present to them, .

The review of mental health services for the Defence Forces also contained several recommendations regarding clinical psychology services. The recruitment of a civilian psychologist in addition to the existing Defence Forces psychologist has been fully implemented and the arrangement is due to be reviewed after a period of 12 to 18 months has elapsed. In addition, systems have been put in place to collect statistics in respect of the demand for psychological services as recommended in the review.

With regard to mental health supports generally, I assure the Deputies that the health and welfare of the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann is a high priority for me, the Department and the Defence Forces. Mental health services are part of a range of medical and non-medical services provided to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are medically fit to undertake the duties assigned to them.

In addition to the clinical supports I have outlined, non-medical mental health services are provided by the personnel support service, PSS. The PSS makes confidential services, including critical incident stress management, and psychological support available to all Defence Forces personnel through its network of barrack personnel support service officers and occupational social workers at formation, unit and barrack level.

As additional support, my Department has arranged the provision of a confidential counselling, referral and support service for serving members of the Defence Forces, civilian employees and Civil Defence members on a wide range of personal and work-related issues. A freephone confidential helpline staffed by fully trained experienced counsellors is available on a 24-hour basis, 365 days a year.

I am satisfied that the available medical services offer comprehensive supports to Defence Forces members and I assure the Deputies that they are kept under constant review.

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