Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012
852 Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when the Director of mental health as announced in December 2011 will be appointed; if he will set up an independent complaints mechanism for mental health service users; the progress, if any, that has been made on mental health reform’s agenda for action.. [26332/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has recently approved the drafting of legislation to abolish the Board of the Health Service Executive and to provide for a Directorate to be the new governing body for the HSE in place of the Board. The intention is that the Bill will be drafted as a matter of urgency so that it can be considered by the Oireachtas as soon as possible. In tandem with the proposed new legal structures, new administrative structures will be put in place within the HSE which will reflect the need for a greater operational management focus on the delivery of key services and greater transparency about funding, service delivery and accountability. The new arrangements will include a separate Directorate for Mental Health. Consideration is currently being given to how best to give effect to the new administrative structures, including the selection and appointment of new directors at national level.
The mental health sector is protected by the Mental Health Commission which is an independent statutory body established under the Mental Health Act 2001 to promote, encourage and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services. Concerns about specific mental health services can be notified to the Commission and these are taken into account on inspections of services. The issue of a complaints mechanism will be looked at in the context of the current review of the Mental Health Act 2001.
Since taking office, this Government has prioritised the reform of our mental health services in line with A Vision for Change and is committed in particular to the delivery of more and better quality care in the community. A special allocation of €35m for mental health was announced in Budget 2012 in line with the Programme for Government commitments. Funding from this special allocation will be used primarily to further strengthen Community Mental Health Teams in both Adult and Children's mental health services which will ensure, at a minimum, that at least one of each mental health professional discipline is represented on every team. It is intended that the additional resources will be rolled out in conjunction with a scheme of appropriate clinical care programmes. Some of the funding will also be used to advance activities in the area of suicide prevention and to initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems.
