Psychiatric funding at crisis level

PSYCHIATRIC patients in many areas of the country are receiving below par services because of large variations in regional funding, the Irish College of Psychiatrists (ICP) has said.

Some health boards have more than twice the budget allocation per head of population than others to spend on psychiatric services.

Both mental health lobby groups and the ICP which represents 400 psychiatrists nationwide said the situation was reaching breaking point and urgently needed to be addressed.