Vol. 566 No. 3
297 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children when the promised review of the mental health policy will take place; and if this will be a consultative process as advised by Amnesty International that according to international human rights standards, people with mental illness and their representative organisations should be involved in all planning and decision making that affects them. [12589/03]
The health strategy, Quality and Fairness – A Health System for You, included a commitment to prepare a new national policy framework for the further modernisation of mental health services. Work has commenced within my Department on a scoping document and terms of reference to facilitate the work of the review group, which will be established later this year. While the precise composition of the working group has not yet been determined, it is anticipated that it will include representatives of service users. All areas of mental health policy and service provision will be examined in the course of the review and, where appropriate, additional research will be undertaken.
