Vol. 512 No. 7
35 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to ensure that good practices are adhered to in the care and treatment of people suffering from a psychiatric illness to ensure that the possibility of side effects of psychotropic drugs are carefully monitored. [26674/99]
137 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to ensure that good practices are adhered to in the care and treatment of people suffering from a psychiatric illness in order to ensure that the possibility of side effects of psychotropic drugs are carefully monitored. [27175/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 137 together.
As part of the process of ensuring that best practices are adhered to in the treatment and care of people with mental illness, the Inspector of Mental Hospitals prepared a document entitled Guidelines on Good Practice and Quality Assurance in the Psychiatric Services. This document set down a series of desirable and achievable standards of care, both in relation to the physical structures in which care is delivered and the clinical and other issues associated with the provision of care. This publication has been circulated to all mental health professionals and administrators in the country. The Inspector of Mental Hospitals is currently paying particular attention, when carrying out his inspections, to the extent to which the practices recommended in the guidelines are adhered to.
It is imperative that the highest possible standards of clinical practice will prevail throughout the mental health services and I will be exploring mechanisms by which this can be achieved so that my Department and the professional bodies can work together in this regard. It is my intention that, on the enactment of the Mental Health Bill, 1999, a code of practice will be drawn up by the inspector and my Department to accompany the legislation and to further advance the implementation of the standards set out in the guidelines. In all of this, my Department will work closely with local service providers for the achievement of a quality mental health service for all.
In this context, the new Mental Health Bill, published yesterday, includes a requirement that, where an involuntary patient has been on medication continuously for more than three months, the medication cannot be continued except with the patient's consent. Where the patient cannot give such consent, the medication must be approved by two consultant psychiatrists. Under the provisions of the Bill, this procedure must be followed every three months while medication is continued.
