Letters to the Editor: Mental health needs of older people requires a far better response

'Ireland needs more staff, but it must also recognise and effectively deploy the skilled workforce already available'

Older people’s mental health is a complex and distinctive field. Picture: iStock

The staffing figures reported for specialist mental health services for older people are deeply concerning — Teams looking after mental health of older people ‘staffed at only a fraction of the required level’ (Irish Examiner, August 14).

A workforce with only 35% of the required psychologists and 44% of occupational therapists cannot provide the comprehensive, multidisciplinary care envisaged in the HSE’s 2019 Model of Care.