Mental health reforms face 40-year wait without funds

VITAL reforms in Ireland’s mental health services will not exist for another 40 years because of the Government’s ongoing failure to adequately fund the service, medics have claimed.

In its latest damning report on the lack of progress made by the A Vision for Change psychiatric services reform programme, the Irish Mental Health Coalition (IMHC) has warned that if the slow pace of progress continues “it will take 40 years to engage sufficient staff to achieve the necessary change”.

According to the 2005 A Vision for Change document, considered to be a blueprint for Government reform of the country’s mental health services, 1,803 new staff have been called for to drastically improve access to services for those in need.

However, according to the IMHC’s A Gloomy View report, officials are failing to meet this target, with the 136 new posts created to date “62% less than what had been promised to have been developed in 2006 alone” and €25m ring-fenced funding for 18 extra multi-disciplinary adult psychiatric teams nationally – helping to create 360 posts – being diverted.

Among the major concerns raised by the IMHC report:

* Just five out of 32 services believe the promises to them have been delivered

* 17 out of 32 have had “consistently low levels” of recruitment

* Mental health services in Limerick, Clare, south Tipperary, west Galway, Mayo, Wexford, St James’s and St Brendan’s hospitals have received no extra resources

The IMHC has called on Health Minister Mary Harney and Minister of State with responsibility for disability and mental health John Moloney to demonstrate their commitment to reform by “reversing the trend of declining standards, of cuts and redirection of mental health funding”.

Last week Mr Maloney said that “reforming our mental health services is not just about increased financial investment, it is about staff being receptive to change”.

Health report clarification

IN this report, quotes in response to the failure of the Government to adequately fund the mental health service were incorrectly attributed to the Irish Mental Health Coalition.

The quotes were taken from a report by the College of Psychiatry of Ireland.