Mental Health Act - How long does the HSE need?

The second part of the Mental Health Act (2001) is supposed to come into force at the start of November.

It is designed to deal with psychiatric patients who are being held involuntarily in mental institutions. At any one time there are at least 550 such people.

Although Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney made the announcement in July, the HSE sought legal advice within a week of her announcement, as it does not believe it will be ready to implement the act within that time frame.

According to a senior HSE official, it is necessary to train personnel, provide extra information about the act, hire extra staff and administrative support, obtain spaces to hold tribunals, decide on the status of centres, as well as policy, and procedural issues, including clinical indemnity.

It was not as if the minister’s announcement only provided four months’ notice to arrange these things. They have had notice for the past five years.

This is another example of how the mentally ill are being shamefully treated. It is over twenty years since the report on mental health services — Planning for the Future — was published, emphasising the need to set up multi-professional teams to provide proper psychiatric services within the community. This has still not been done.

How long do they need to do anything properly?