Seanad debates

Wednesday, 10 October 2018

Mental Health (Capacity To Consent To Treatment) Bill 2018: Second Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Rose Conway WalshRose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will not repeat what my colleagues have said. I, too, commend Senator Devine and Ms Grace McManus on bringing this legislation forward. We could have chosen any topic for discussion in Private Members' time but because it is World Mental Health Day, as Senator Devine and Ms McManus reminded us, it was appropriate to do introduce this Bill. It is invaluable to this Chamber that we can bring to bear Senator Devine's decades of experience as a psychiatric nurse.

We all have different experiences around mental health, whether with family members or representations and issues we are trying to deal with in communities. As Senator Ó Donnghaile said, this legislation is important because we cannot continue to differentiate between what is available in terms of access for physical health and mental health, as has happened so many times. This legislation will certainly right a wrong but it will only be fully appreciated if the services are available when young people look for them.

It is in that light that, looking at yesterday's budget, what was allocated to the mental health services was really important. The headline figure was €84 million but, once the pay recommendations are accounted for, the allocation will be €55 million. Will the Minister of State ensure this money goes to front-line services? It must go to them. Young people are arriving in Mayo University Hospital and being told by the medical team that there is no psychologist because the hospital does not have the resources or the money to have one. Others arrive looking for prescribed medication but the clinician required to prescribe and approve the medication is not available, meaning these young people are discharged again.

There is a revolving door operating in accident and emergency departments. They cannot cope because they do not have the full complement of mental health teams to treat and support young people. Young people are often left sitting in waiting rooms for hours before deciding to go home again. Others will be hospitalised overnight and sent back to the community again the next day without proper treatment. They may have to wait months for treatment they deserve. We are not progressing and going forward.

I worked for five years to develop Mindspace Mayo and it is a good project. The Mindspace programme reached out to more rural areas like Belmullet and Erris and, all of a sudden, there are no resources to do that outreach. I am concerned about the lack of supports available for the mental health of young people and right through the life cycle. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the money allocated in yesterday's budget is used specifically for front-line services.

I go to different medical events all the time and I am always amazed to learn of the management levels that have been invented throughout the HSE and the mental health services. It is incredible. We must be running out of titles for the different managers, yet we do not have the front-line staff. There are mental health nurses and other practitioners with impossible caseloads. No human being, however qualified or expert, could give quality treatment to the number of people in their caseloads. This is creating serious risks.

England has today, for the first time, appointed a minister for suicide prevention. That is a progressive decision and a recognition that mental health and suicide prevention have to be given much greater priority in this country and Britain. The Minister of State is in a position to do something about this. We have a rainy day fund. I do not want to see a rainy day fund going to the banks again. I understand the restrictions around a rainy day fund, that it has to be targeted at the banks, but I would much rather see that fund targeted to provide proper mental health services for people right across the life cycle who are affected by poor mental health and need that help and support now.

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