Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2013
203. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the key elements of Vision for Change that have been implemented; the key elements that have yet to be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43961/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra205. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the key elements of Vision for Change that have been implemented; the key elements that have yet to be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43989/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 205 together.
Implementation of A Vision for Change (AVFC) and the reform of our mental health services is a priority for this Government. Implementation of AVFC has been slower than originally expected. It has been delayed by a number of factors including the changed economic context, constraints in public spending and the moratorium on recruitment.
Nonetheless, a great deal of progress has been made with the accelerated closure of old psychiatric hospitals and their replacement with bespoke new facilities, better suited to modern mental health care. Progress also includes shorter episodes of in-patient care and the involvement of service users in all aspects of mental health policy, service planning and delivery.
A modern mental health service is best delivered in the community and in 2012 a special allocation of €35m was provided primarily to further strengthen Community Mental Health Teams in both adult and children’s mental health services, to advance activities in the area of suicide prevention, to initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems and to facilitate the re-location of mental health service users from institutional care to more independent living arrangements in their communities, in line with AVFC. 414 posts were approved to implement the €35m package of special measures.
Budgetary pressures within the HSE delayed the full utilisation of this funding, but this sum is now available to mental health services along with an additional €35m allocated in Budget 2013 for the continued development of mental health services across a range of headings, including the further development of forensic services and community mental health teams for adults, children, older persons with a mental illness and those with an intellectual disability and mental illness. 477 posts have been approved to implement these measures.
As at 30 September 2013, the recruitment process is complete for 378 or 91% of the 414 posts approved in 2012. There are a number of posts for which there are difficulties in identifying suitable candidates due to factors including availability of qualified candidates and geographic location, and the remainder are at various stages in the recruitment process.
Of the 477 posts approved in 2013, as at 30th September 2013, 255 or 54% of these posts were in the final stages of the recruitment process and a further 149 were at earlier stages, indicating that 85% of posts are in the recruitment process. The HSE’s National Recruitment Service is currently working to ensure that the remaining posts will be filled as soon as possible, from existing panels or through competition in the absence of panels, at the earliest opportunity. Options to enable more local recruitment are also being considered where this will assist in filling specific posts. I have received assurances from the HSE that the recruitment process for these new posts is being given priority within the HSE.
Budget 2014 provides €20 million ringfenced for mental health services which will enable the HSE to continue to develop and modernise our mental health services in line with the recommendations of AVFC, and will allow for the recruitment of additional staff to further enhance our Adult, Child and Adolescent and Specialist Community Mental Health Teams. This will bring to €90 million the total investment ringfenced by the Government in mental health services since 2012 up to end 2014. This significant investment in mental health in recent years demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to the implementation of A Vision for Change.
