Consultants agree to join mental health tribunals

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney last night welcomed the decision by consultant psychiatrists to take their places on mental health tribunals set up to review involuntary detentions of mental patients.

The tribunals will review the cases of up to 3,500 people detained involuntarily in psychiatric hospitals in Ireland each year.

“I am pleased that the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and the Irish Medical Organisation are now committed to co-operating with the full implementation of the Mental Health Act, 2001, including the participation of their consultant psychiatrist members on Mental Health Tribunals,” the minister said at the end of what had been a bitter row between both sides.

At the height of the dispute, the Government had frozen a 1.5% pay rise for the State’s 290 consultant psychiatrists. The pay rise was due to be paid last December under the Sustaining Progress national deal.

Ms Harney said the money would now be paid.

Doctors had refused to join the boards, insisting they needed more staff in order to meet the strict timetables of the new tribunals.

The Government has pledged to appoint 18 additional consultants this year.

“The establishment of the mental health tribunals, together with the continuing investment programme and the new policy document to be launched tomorrow, are the three key elements in the modernisation of our mental health services,” Ms Harney said yesterday.

The 2001 Act contains provisions specifically framed to bring Irish law into conformity with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, particularly in relation to providing new statutory safeguards for mentally ill persons who are involuntarily admitted for psychiatric care or treatment.