Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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414. To ask the Minister for Health if the Mental Health Act will be amended to require health professionals to involve the carers of mental health patients in their treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7811/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I acknowledge that patient outcomes tend to be better where families and/or carers are involved in the development of the patient’s care and treatment plan. Health care professionals should proactively encourage patients at all stages to involve their family and/or carer in the development of these plans.

I also accept, however, that patient confidentiality is important and should not be compromised, where in some limited cases, patients specifically request that contact not be made with families and/or carers. For the benefit of the patient, every effort must be made to encourage him or her to involve family and/or carers, but it is equally important to recognise that breaching this confidence against the patient’s wishes, can damage the health professional /patient relationship. It should be noted however that the Medical Council's Ethical Guide does specifically allow a doctor to ethically breach confidentiality if, for example, he/she believes that the patient is at risk of harming himself/herself or others.

An Expert Group which I set up to review the Mental Health Act 2001 has recently completed its work and has presented its final report to me for consideration. The Group examined a range of issues, including the one mentioned by the Deputy. I intend to publish the Expert Group review early next month.