HSE ‘misappropriating’ mental health funds

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has been accused of “misappropriating” funds by diverting almost 50% of a special budget for mental health services into other areas of healthcare.

The Irish Mental Health Coalition (IMHC) yesterday called on both the Government and the HSE to urgently address significant delays in the implementation of a national plan to improve the country’s mental health services first announced two years ago.

It comes after the IMHC claimed that the HSE had spent just €23 million of €50m allocated specifically for the expansion of mental health services since 2006.