Mental Health Reform (MHR), Ireland’s leading national coalition for mental health, has today responded to the 2024 Annual Report of the Mental Health Commission, welcoming the positive developments outlined while underscoring the need for continued investment and improvement in specific areas of the mental health system.
The Commission’s report reflects encouraging progress in many services, including sustained reductions in restrictive practices, growing compliance with regulatory standards, and the continued rollout of rights-based initiatives such as the Decision Support Service. At the same time, it identifies ongoing challenges in a small number of HSE-run centres, where issues such as staffing, premises, risk management and individual care planning require urgent attention.
“We welcome the clear advances made in many parts of the mental health system, particularly the shift away from restrictive practices and movement towards rights-based care,” said Philip Watt, Interim CEO of Mental Health Reform.
“At the same time, the report highlights the need to support all services to meet the same high standards, particularly where recurring compliance issues remain.”
Mental Health Reform welcomes:
- A continued decline in the use of seclusion and physical restraint, noted as a major step forward for human rights in mental health care;
- The successful first full year of the Decision Support Service, which is helping to empower individuals to make decisions about their own care;
- Ongoing work to develop national standards for community mental health services.
However, MHR notes the importance of ensuring that all services, regardless of location or provider, are supported and held accountable to deliver safe, high-quality care.
“We know there are many dedicated staff and clinicians working every day to improve services,” Watt added. “With the right investment and oversight, we can ensure that good practice becomes the norm across the country.”
MHR is calling for:
- Targeted HSE support for underperforming centres to help address ongoing compliance challenges;
- Timely passage of the reformed Mental Health Act, to modernise the legislative framework for service delivery and service user rights;
- Increased investment in mental health, with a commitment to reaching 10% of the overall health budget by 2030;
- Continued progress in implementing community-based mental health standards.