Written answers

Thursday, 2 March 2006

Department of Health and Children

Mental Health Services

5:00 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether there is a huge deficit in the delivery of psychiatric services in the health care system here in view of recommendations of the report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision For Change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8374/06]

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the recommendations of the report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision For Change, is now Government policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8371/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 104 together.

The report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision for Change, was launched on 24 January 2006. This report is the first comprehensive review of mental health policy since Planning for the Future was published in 1984 and has been accepted by Government as the basis for the future development of mental health policy. The report proposes a holistic view of mental illness and recommends an integrated multi-disciplinary approach to addressing the biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to mental health problems. It proposes a person-centred treatment approach which addresses each of these elements through an integrated care plan, reflecting best practice, and evolved and agreed with service users and their carers. Special emphasis is given to the need to involve service users and their families and carers at every level of service provision.

This policy envisions an active, flexible and community based mental health service where the need for hospital admission will be greatly reduced. It will require substantial funding but there is considerable equity in buildings and lands within the current mental health system, which could be realised to fund this plan. Therefore, this report recommends that steps be taken to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals and to re-invest the resources released by these closures in the mental health service. The closure of large mental hospitals and the move to modern units attached to general hospitals, together with the expansion of community services, has been Government policy since the publication of Planning for the Future in 1984.

The programme of investment has already begun with an additional €25 million allocated to the HSE in the Estimates for 2006 for mental health services. Significant capital investment will also be required to implement A Vision for Change for the provision of new and replacement facilities for the mental health services. This has been estimated by the expert group to be of the order of €800 million and much of it could be realised from the value of existing hospitals and lands.

The Health Service Executive, which has primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations of the expert report has stated that the national mental health directorate within the HSE will immediately establish an implementation group to ensure the recommendations are realised in a timely and co-ordinated manner.

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