Mental Health Reform call for political action to crisis in mental health services.
Mental Health Reform, the national coalition on mental health, has this morning called on the Oireachtas to urgently react to the Mental Health Commission’s damning report published this morning which highlights serious deficiencies in community mental health supports.
Commenting on the report CEO of Mental Health Reform, Shari McDaid said, “It is disappointing to read the Mental Health Commission’s confirmation this morning of the huge neglect of community mental health services over the last fourteen years. This makes it very clear that the next Government must substantially increase investment in our services, ensure that there is a sufficient management structure to implement our mental health policy, and must update our mental health law so that these new community services can be regulated.
Dr McDaid continued, “Our national mental health policy, A Vision for Change, very clearly sets out that mental health services where possible, should be delivered in the community, with inpatient services used only as a last resort. The Mental Health Commission’s report shows that over the last 14 years, community services have been significantly underdeveloped. This puts huge pressure on inpatient services, where beds which are meant only for short term stays are being occupied from six months up to several years.”
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