€70,000 health board report a waste, says doctor
The Eastern Regional Health Authority Mental Health Strategy is also “expensive, unfocused embarrassment,” according to consultant psychiatrist Dr Siobhán Barry.
Dr Barry, who is the elected representative of psychiatrists on the ERHA, slated the report at a recent meeting of the board and in a lengthy interview with the Irish Medical News.
She criticised the number of administrative staff involved in its compilation, said submissions made by herself and others were not taken on board and believes the views of those working in the service have been ignored.
“It is an unclear and exhaustive read, even for somebody who is committed to reading it,” Dr Barry told the board, following the presentation of the document.
The strategy was so unfocused that it could not be implemented without “considerable reworking”, she said.
“People were taken from their job to do something that does nothing and that’s where it becomes a waste of money,” Dr Barry added.
But Angela Fitzpatrick, the chairperson of the co-ordinating group that wrote the framework report, defended drafting in extra help, saying it would have been impossible to develop a strategic plan without employing staff. She said she could see the disappointment of Dr Barry, adding “it is important that we hear the voices of all”.
Dr Barry agreed that all interested parties should be heard but pointed to a number of previous consultations that were not taken on board.
“In six months there appears to have been very little change to the document despite inputs from the Irish College of Psychiatry, myself and others. The ICP said it could not endorse the document but it seems that once everybody has been consulted, that’s all that is necessary,” she said.
Dr Barry felt many of the concerns she raised in letters to the CEO of the health board had not been addressed. The specific concerns raised were her belief that those charged with planning, monitoring and evaluating services for seriously mentally ill people have a poor conception of the enormity of the task.
A spokesperson for the ERHA said that among the issues raised by the ICP and Dr Barry were concerns over the neglect of child and adolescent mental health services.
“There will be two separate reports that will address child and adolescent services. We would be keen to meet with all parties to discuss their concerns,” the spokesperson said.
