‘Lives lost’ as mental health funds suffer cuts

Lives are being lost on a daily basis due to under-funding and under-staffing in the mental health services, the head of Kerry’s Psychiatric Nurses Association has warned.

Cormac Williams noted that when one consultant obstetrician warns maternity services are under threat because of midwives retiring there is outrage, but it is not so easy to highlight the plight of people with mental health problems.

Mr Williams, who has written to President Michael D Higgins on the issue, said the most disturbing aspect of all the cutbacks in the mental health service was that they were happening when incidents of suicide were at an all-time high.