James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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554. To ask the Minister for Health his estimate of the additional resources required to provide the funding necessary for the staffing requirements under A Vision for Change, taking into account demographic changes. [33815/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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A Vision For Change,our national Mental Health Policy, was introduced in 2006. Among its recommendations were that approximately 10,650 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents were required to fully implement the policy. The recommendations of A Vision for Changewere based on the population figures of the 2002 census (3.9 million) and the total recommended staffing was 10,647. The 2016 population is 4.7 million, and the requirements for staffing should be adjusted to 12,760 for 2016 and a further 1.4% for 2017 totalling 12,778.

As of April 2017, the HSE Mental Health Division have 9,815 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents. In addition, there are a further 1000 indirect Whole Time Equivalents staff providing services. There are also approximately 300 being recruited, with more than 700 posts approved and in development from Programme for Government funding.

The figure of 9,815 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents, comparable to the 12,778 posts as outlined in adjusted A Vision for Changerecommended figures, indicates a gap of 2,963. Using an average figure of €66,000 per Whole Time Equivalent, the additional resources required to fill the gap would be €195.6 million per annum.

Since 2012, around €115 million has been added to the HSE Mental Health Budget, which totalled €826 million in 2016. Budget 2017 made allowance for an additional €35 million for services to be initiated in 2017. Recognising the time lag in new staff taking up posts and the completion of preparations for the introduction of these services, it is estimated that the revenue spend in 2017 associated with this increased allocation will be some €15 million. There will also be a further additional spend of €9.5 million in mental health associated with increased pay rates. With other minor adjustments, the total budget for mental health in 2017 will be €853.1 million.

Recruitment to meet the needs of our mental health services is therefore underpinned by the increased Budget Allocations in the National Service Plans of recent years, which have progressed the implementation of A Vision For Change. A Vision for Change came to the end of its 10-year term in 2016 and preparations for a review and updating of policy have been underway since early last year. In September 2016, an external evidence and expert review was commissioned from WRC Consultants as the first step in determining the parameters of a revision of A Vision for Change. This review was completed on 17 February 2017, and provides evidence to determine the policy direction for a revision of A Vision for Change, both in terms of international best practice and the experience of implementing A Vision for Change. An Oversight Committee will shortly be established to oversee the development of a new policy for mental health based on the outcome of the Expert Review.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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555. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the allocation of the €15 million in new funding for mental health in 2017; the additional or new services being provided in 2017; the funding provided to each; if he will provide a breakdown of the funding by CHO; and the additional posts being provided in each. [33816/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.