Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Health his plans for mental health service staffing level in 2012; if these plans will be consistent with the commitments made in the vision for change policy document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27791/11]

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the continued roll out of community mental health teams in 2012; the financial commitment this will take from the 2012 health budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27792/11]

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Health the current progress of the introduction of the Directorate for Mental Health Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27793/11]

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health the Departments he is working with to create employment opportunities for persons with mental health difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27795/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 to 203, inclusive, and 205 together.

This Government is committed to implementing A Vision for Change and reforming our model of healthcare delivery so that more and better quality care is delivered in the community. In this regard I have asked the HSE to prepare an implementation plan, which will identify specific recommendations of A Vision for Change that can be progressed over the next three years, with timelines, detailed costs, structures and identifiable person(s) responsible for driving the change including delivery on the commitments in our Programme for Government. The question of a Directorate for mental health and issues related to staffing levels particularly in community mental health teams will be examined in this context.

It is the Government's intention that over time access to modern mental health services in the community will be significantly improved. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ring-fence €35 million annually from within the health budget to develop community mental health teams and services. This is currently being considered as part of the Estimates process for 2012 and future years.

A Vision for Change also recognised that all citizens should be treated equally and that access to employment for people with mental health difficulties should be on the same basis as any other citizen. We are endeavouring, through housing, education and community based health care, to provide the environment in which employment opportunities can be availed of by all on an equal basis.

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Health the point at which the plans to close inadequate psychiatric hospitals and provide community based accommodation in its place; if there is a departmental timeline that is being followed to implement the transfer of service users to the new accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27794/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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A Vision for Change provides a framework for action to develop a modern, high quality mental health service over a 7 to 10 year period. It recommends that steps be taken to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals and that the resources released by these closures should be reinvested in the mental health service. It emphasises that this process should take place on a phased basis with wards closing sequentially as the clinical needs of the remaining patients are addressed in more appropriate settings, such as additional community residences, day hospitals and day centres. A Vision for Change describes a wholly new service model which is designed around the service user, is recovery oriented and community based.

Significant progress has been made in closing the old traditional psychiatric hospitals and providing modern acute in-patient facilities. Progress has also been made in providing appropriate alternative continuing care accommodation for those service users who require such accommodation.

Following are details of the psychiatric hospitals which have now closed or have closed to acute admissions;

Closure plans are in place for the remaining old hospitals; however hospitals will only close when the clinical needs of the remaining patients have been addressed in more appropriate community based settings.

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Health the number of rehabilitation and recovery teams currently in place here to support persons with a mental health problem to enable them to live independently in the community; the plans there are to increase this number as older psychiatric wards close; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27796/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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A Vision for Change sets out a comprehensive framework for the development of all mental health services over a 7 to 10 year time frame and contains some 200 recommendations. The Report proposes a holistic view of mental illness and recommends an integrated multidisciplinary approach to addressing the biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to mental health problems. It recommends a person centred treatment approach which addresses each of these elements through an integrated care plan, reflecting best practice, and evolved and agreed with both service users and their carers. The aim is to move from the traditional institutional based model of care to a patient-centred, flexible and community based mental health service, where need for hospital admission is greatly reduced, while still providing in-patient care when appropriate.

The core unit of mental health service delivery for adults is the General Adult Community Mental Health Team of which there are 124 in place nationally. The Community Mental Health Team provides secondary care to individuals living in their own home or in supported accommodation within their own community. Rehabilitation and Recovery Teams are specialised mental health teams who provide services to those with severe and enduring mental illness to move towards recovery. There are currently 16 Rehabilitation and Recovery Community Mental Health Teams nationally.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ring-fence €35 million annually from within the health budget to further develop community mental health teams and services. This is currently being considered as part of the Estimates process for 2012 and future years.