Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)

This is an important amendment. It acknowledges the value of all disciplines in mental health for their capacity to lead mental health services. Leadership roles should be competency based and discipline non-specific, focusing on relevant clinical and organisational expertise, rather than privileging a single profession. It is custom and practice, based on a medical model of mental health service provision we need to be moving away from, that psychiatrists have automatically been clinical directors, but it is not inevitably the case and the wording of the Bill suggests it is inevitable. We have seen increasing openness internationally in countries such as the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand towards the distribution of leadership among other mental health professionals, rather than it automatically being psychiatrists. This is also, as Deputy Clarke mentioned, in line with the Sharing the Vision recommendations on shared governance. It is a progressive amendment and I urge the Minister of State to consider it.

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