Written answers

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Department of Health

Mental Health Services Funding

Photo of Andrew DoyleAndrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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1298. To ask the Minister for Health the appointments made for community mental health services in 2012 and to date in 2013; the funding provided for these services over the past two years; if he expects there to be any delay in providing these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36982/13]

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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1346. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether the Government will honour its commitment to appoint new staff for community mental health services this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37323/13]

Photo of Peter MathewsPeter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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1428. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to invest in health services based in the community, with a range of multi disciplinary staff offering a choice of treatment options, easy access to mental health support from one's GP; access to talking therapies; helping persons with a mental health difficulty to get into and maintain employment and secure accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37789/13]

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1566. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of the 414 posts promised for mental health services in 2012 that were actually in place by the end of the 2012; the number that are now in place; whether any of the €35 million promised for mental health services in 2012 was spent to cover overruns in other areas of the health service; and if so, and the amount of same [38560/13]

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1567. To ask the Minister for Health the number of the 477 posts promised for the mental health services in 2013 that are currently in position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38561/13]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1298, 1346, 1428, 1566 and 1567 together.

This Government has prioritised the reform of our mental health services in line with A Vision for Change and is committed in particular to the delivery of more and better quality care in the community. In 2012, a special allocation of €35 million was provided for mental health to be used primarily to further strengthen Community Mental Health Teams in both adult and children's mental health services, to advance activities in the area of suicide prevention, to initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care and to facilitate the transfer of mental health service users from institutional to community based care. 414 posts were approved to implement the €35 million package of special measures.

Budgetary pressures within the HSE delayed the full utilisation of this funding in 2012, however this sum is now available to mental health services along with an additional €35 million allocated in Budget 2013 for the continued development of our mental health services across a range of headings, including the further ongoing development of community services. Of the 414 posts approved in 2012, as at the 26th August 2013, 397 have either been filled or are awaiting clearance.

477 posts have been approved from the 2013 allocation for mental health services. As at 26th August 2013, 220 of these posts have been accepted with a further 24 posts offered to candidates. Of the 233 remaining posts, 162 are at various stages in the recruitment process. The National Recruitment Service (NRS) creates national panels in anticipation of vacancies. On occasion however, it is difficult to fill some posts for various reasons including availability of qualified candidates and geographical location. In addition, specific specialist staff are required to fill 91 of these posts and the NRS and the mental health services are working to further improve the process to allow for more bespoke and specialised panels to meet local service needs and maximise successful recruitment. The NRS is working to ensure that the remaining posts will be filled at the earliest opportunity.

I have received assurances from the HSE that the recruitment process for the new posts being funded in 2013 and any outstanding posts approved in 2012 is being given priority within the HSE.

In relation to the specific issue of mental health services in County Kerry, as this relates to a service matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.

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