Committee on Mental Health Care to discuss the need for adequate funding and resources for a robust Primary Care service

The meeting will focus on primary care in mental health. The Committee will hear from Professor Joyce O'Connor, former Chairperson of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy and Dr Brendan O'Shea, Director of the Postgraduate Resource Centre, Irish College of General Practitioners.

Committee Chair, Senator Joan Freeman, said, “Our Committee published its interim report yesterday. The report confirmed the three main pillars of focus for the committees work over the coming months. The Committee agreed that our topical related report will focus on accountability of expenditure, the gaps in primary care and recruitment issues (especially the recruitment and retention of skilled personnel).  We will hear from numerous stakeholders and experts on what needs to happen to strengthen the services needed by one of our most vulnerable groups of people.”

“At tomorrow’s meeting we will hear how we can deal with the gaps in primary care. As we have heard on numerous occasions that, 90% of mental health needs are dealt with by a GP, we need to know that every individual can get the services they need at the first point of call. Likely topics tomorrow will include the chronic underfunding of services, adequate numbers of GPs and practice nurses and the importance of linking GPs with grass root sservices throughout their catchment area. ”

The Interim Report can be downloaded here

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.