HSE to brief Committee on the Future of Mental Health Care on ‘A Vision for Change’

Committee Chairperson, Senator Joan Freeman, said, “The Committee is pleased to have Anne O’Connor, National Director of mental Health Services, address us tomorrow on the implementation of ‘A Vision for Change’, which set out a ten-year policy framework for Ireland's mental health services, many of which remain at the core of mental health services provision. Retention and recruitment of staff is one of the key issues that Committee members have raised in previous dialogue with the HSE, the department and Mr. Hugh Kane, chair of the oversight group to oversee the next stages of the review.”

“Funding for recruitment is very important and I’m concerned that, at our last meeting, the HSE were unable to provide a breakdown of mental health funding showing how it was spent by service area.  This means that we cannot identify funds that have been put aside for recruitment in different areas.  The fundamental question is: How can we speculate about funding increases when we don’t know where the shortfall lies? “

"There is justifiable frustration about the lack of implementation of parts of ‘A Vision for Change’ and the Committee is anxious to ensure that the review establishes a practical long-term vision for the future of mental health care in Ireland.”

The meeting will commence at 10am in Committee Room 4, Leinster House.

Watch proceedings live here