Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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16. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress made to date in developing a national mental health information system as provided for in the Health Service Executive's national service plans for 2012 and 2013 [39930/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The National Director of Mental Health Services in the HSE has prioritised the National Mental Health Information System Project to identify the national business requirements for a Mental Health ICT System. This is to deliver a clinical information and service delivery management system, encompassing an electronic service user mental health record. An allocation of €405,275 from the additional €35 million provided for mental health in 2013 was identified for this purpose.

Significant work has been undertaken recently to consult with a range of health professionals and clinicians, together with service user representatives, across mental health services to clarify the requirements for such a system. It is expected that this consultation will be concluded within the next 6-8 weeks.

A Project Structure for the National Mental Health ICT Project has been agreed and work is in train to establish each of the elements as soon as possible. A Steering Group has been identified to progress the Project and will be advised by a Stakeholder Group, to be chaired initially by the National Director of Mental Health Services. The components of the Project will be managed by a full-time Project Manager who will work with a Project Team, and arrangements for the identification and release of the Project Team are progressing.

The HSE expects to make a decision by the end of the year on the feasibility of extending and developing existing systems or whether there will be a need to tender for a new system. Thereafter, full national implementation of a mental health Information Systems is a three to five-year process.