State ‘failing’ in vision for mental health services

A CONSULTANT psychiatrist has questioned the fact that the Government’svision for mental health services does not include treating addiction.

Addressing the Simon Community seminar on the health impact of homelessness yesterday, Dr Siobhan Barry said addiction services needed to be genuinely resourced and the consequences of not adequately addressing addiction was playing itself out on a daily basis in our health services.

Dr Barry’s comments were made as a specialreport revealed that three out of five homeless people using support services had a diagnosed mental health condition.