Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 July 2014
200. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the policy initiatives his Department has taken since 2011 aimed at disrupting the power relations within inpatient psychiatric units in terms of service users and those delivering the service; the number of service users appointed to the area management teams within the Health Service Executive; if none, when he plans to implement this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30510/14]
View answerA Vision for Change, our mental health policy, recommends that service users and carers should participate at all levels of the mental health system. It is acknowledged that service users have a unique insight into the experience of mental illness and are central to how we progress and further develop our mental health services.
In line with this policy, the HSE in September 2013, commenced a consultation process with a range of stakeholders representing services users, family members and carers to seek to determine how their independent voices will continue to be heard. This consultation led to the appointment of an interim Head of Service User, Family Member and Carer Engagement in January 2014 as a member of the HSE National Mental Health Management Team and a commitment to establish of a Reference Group to provide service user, family member and carer input into new organisational structures.
A Vision for Change recommends that a recovery orientation should inform every aspect of service delivery and service users should be partners in their own care. The Recovery approach that we want to see places a unique emphasis on the value of each person and their understanding of their illness and should be seen as natural process which service users believe can put greater choice and control back in their hands.
The 'Advancing Recovery in Ireland' (ARI) initiative which is a partnership project between the HSE and other bodies is a welcome development. The initiative focuses on service level structures, systems and practices that can maximise personal recovery opportunities and outcomes for service users. It aims to achieve this by facilitating the individual to manage their personal recovery and by the development of recovery focused mental health practice in the service. It recognises the service provider, service user and family as equal stakeholders. Some of the innovations being developed through ARI are Recovery Colleges, Peer Support Working and the Recovery Context inventory Tool. The ARI is an 18 month initiative which is being rolled out on a phased basis to allow maximum benefit, the initial phase of which commenced in May 2013.
In relation to the number of service users that have been appointed to the area management teams, as this is a service issue I have asked the HSE to provide this information directly to the Deputy.
