Written answers

Tuesday, 5 July 2022

Department of Health

Mental Health Services

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

870. To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline the main improvements in the provision of mental health services since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36237/22]

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The provision of mental health services are in the main a matter for the Health Service Executive and I have requested the executive to respond to the Deputy directly in this regard. From a policy and budgetary point of view the Deputy may also be interested to note the following progress in areas such as enhancing all aspects of our mental health services and supports remains a key priority for Government. There have been significant improvements in the delivery of our mental health services over the past number of years and the Government is committed to ensuring their continued development throughout this year and into the future. I have outlined in my below response some of the key achievements in mental health in recent years.

The Government’s clear commitment to enhancing mental health services, is shown by significant mental health funding increases in recent years. I am pleased to have secured an unprecedented level of funding, totalling, €1.149 billion, for mental health in this year’s budget. This Budget, which is the largest mental health budget in the history of the state, is supporting the continued implementation of new developments under our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, including out of hours supports, CAMHS services, crisis resolution team, the national clinical programmes, and specialist mental health services for older people.

Budget 2022 includes an additional €47 million on 2021, comprising €24 million for new developments, €10 million for mental health initiatives in response to Covid and €13 million for existing levels of service. An additional once off €10 million was announced on Budget Day to further support the mental health sector.

Funding for a number of initiatives has been provided through the additional €10 million An Taoiseach Covid Recovery fund. This includes €2 million for continued enhancement of the HSE Digital Response programme and €0.66 for a collaborative project with Jigsaw to build mental health literacy.

In addition, through the additional once off €10 million announced on Budget Day €1m was provided for MyMind to continue to deliver free of charge counselling sessions, in over 15 languages, to clients impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic. €1m was also provided to Mental Health Ireland to manage a grant scheme on behalf of the Department, to manage a grants scheme for community and voluntary agencies promoting mental health and well-being.

Funding allocated to mental health services in recent years has allowed for the continued investment in the mental health national clinical programmes and models of care, which has led to significant service improvements, including the full implementation of specialist perinatal mental health network provided for and the on-going expansion of specialist mental health teams for eating disorders, ADHD in adults, and dual diagnosis.

Telehealth services are fully established including YourMentalHealth.ie; the information line 1800 111 888, the crisis textline, 50808, and NGO online supports. These include youth specific supports, such as those provided through Jigsaw, SpunOut, and Turn2Me. The majority of telehealth supports are available seven days per week, with some providing 24hour support. In addition, the HSE has partnered with SilverCloud, on a national roll out of digital cognitive behaviour therapy to address depression and anxiety and to make mental health support more widely available.

Importantly, as budgets increase, we need to ensure that we have plans and strategies in place so that those resources are used effectively and efficiently to the benefit of people using our mental health services. All aspects of mental health services are being improved and developed, through Sharing the Vision in the short to longer term. Sharing the Vision aims to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum, from mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, during the period 2020-2030.

In terms of implementation and oversight, the National Implementation Monitoring Committee (NIMC) implementation and implementation monitoring structures are well established, enabling policy implementation and governance. The NIMC is made up of the NIMC Steering Committee, supported by a NIMC Reference Group to provide the service user and family member perspective. The establishment of the Reference Group in March 2022 is a key development as it is absolutely vital that people who use our services and their families are at the heart of the design, development and delivery of the systems we build to serve them.

NIMC Specialist Groups, have been established in priority areas of development including Youth Mental Health Transitions, Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity, Women’s Mental Health, Primary Care Mental Health Services and Digital Mental Health.

Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan 2022 – 2024 was published on 23 March 2022. The Plan sets out individual programme pathways of implementation for each of the 100 policy recommendations for the next three years. Additionally, official reporting has commenced with Status Implementation Reports and NIMC Analysis Documents published on a quarterly basis online. As of Q1 2022, 68 of the 100 recommendations are in implementation, with 51 marked on track.

The implementation of Sharing the Vision will build on existing initiatives already underway, for example in the provision of digital mental health services, the continued phased development and rollout of our national clinical programmes, which are at the heart of service improvement, and the ongoing legislative reform through the review of the Mental Health Act.

In mid-2021, the Government approved a General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Mental Health Act. This General Scheme took into account the 165 recommendations of the Expert Group Review of the Act, the observations of key stakeholders such as the Mental Health Commission and the HSE, the results of a 2021 public consultation wherein 100 submissions were received, changes in domestic legislation, most significantly the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and Ireland’s international commitments, including under the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

A Mental Health Bill is now being prepared in line with the General Scheme. The Bill will significantly update existing mental health legislation through, inter alia, the introduction of a set of guiding principles for adults and children receiving inpatient treatment, a revised set of criteria for detention, an overhauled approach to consent to admission and treatment, aligning capacity in mental health legislation with the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, the introduction of a new, discrete Part on the care and treatment of children, and the introduction of additional safeguards for people receiving inpatient mental health treatment. The finalisation and introduction to the Oireachtas of a Mental Health Bill is a priority for the Government and it will be introduced as quickly as possible when drafting concludes, which is expected later this year.

I was very pleased to announce, in November 2020, the extension of Connecting for Life, our national suicide reduction strategy, by four years to 2024. This followed a recommendation from the independent strategy review conducted in 2018. It reflects the many achievements to date and the hard work and dedication of multiple stakeholders. The National Office for Suicide Prevention responsible for the implementation of Connecting for Life and overseen by the Department has a €13 million allocation. The extension and continued implementation of Connecting for Life demonstrates the government’s commitment to addressing suicide and self-harm in our communities.

Following the Programme for Government commitment, the interdepartmental High-Level Taskforce was established by Government last year to enhance links for those in contact with the criminal justice system accessing Mental Health, Addiction or Primary Care services. Significant progress has been made by the Taskforce, under the Chair of former Minister Kathleen Lynch, and a Final Report will be published shortly.

As the question also concerns operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.