Mental health services funds warning

IT is impossible to implement the Government’s plan to reform mental health services without more staff and further investment, the HSE’s mental health boss has admitted.

Speaking ahead of a conference on the future of mental health services, assistant national director for mental health at the HSE Martin Rogan said “the cavalry” – 1,800 promised additional staff under a Vision for Change – had never materialised. Mr Rogan, who has worked in mental health for 30 years, said the most basic facet of mental health services was the interaction between skilled staff and the service user in his or her own community. “You can’t do that artificially or synthesise it – it’s just not possible without the staff,” he said.

Mr Rogan said the last 20 years had been spent building up the mental health budget, but as staff were retiring they were taking the budget with them.