Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 252: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide an assurance that the money realisable from the sale of psychiatric hospitals is expected to be sufficient to provide the level of community care required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24505/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, "A Vision for Change" was launched in January 2006 and has been accepted by Government as the basis for the future development of mental health services. 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. "A Vision for Change" 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 mental hospitals and the reinvestment of the proceeds will take place on a phased basis. Hospitals can only close when the clinical needs of the remaining patients have been addressed in more appropriate settings such as additional community residences, day hospitals and day centres together with a substantial increase in the number of well trained, fully staffed, community-based multidisciplinary Community Mental Health Teams as is recommended in a A Vision for Change.

The identification of assets and the assessment of their value is the responsibility of the HSE National Director of Estates. While the funds which will be realised from the sale of psychiatric hospitals will depend on prevailing market forces, I am confident that sufficient funds will be realised to provide the level of community care required.