Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2016
427. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce an independent mechanism for persons to complain if they have had a negative or adverse experience of Health Service Executive mental health services. [11317/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has a complaints management process in place entitled 'Your Service, Your Say’ which is committed to safeguarding rights and providing for a fair and impartial investigation of any complaint received. There are a variety of ways in which complaints can be made and all staff in the HSE are enabled and empowered to appropriately handle complaints with designated Complaints Officers in place to ensure the effective management of complaints throughout their relevant areas of responsibility. In addition complainants have a right of an independent review by a Review Officer while the Office of the Ombudsman can also examine complaints about certain actions of the HSE. The HSE’s National Advocacy Service is also available to assist people make complaints.
While the Mental Health Commission does not investigate individual complaints, the Mental Health Act 2001 provides that during the annual inspection of approved centres, the Inspector of Mental Health Services shall see every patient whom he or she has been requested to examine by the resident himself or herself or by any other person. In this regard, the Inspector of Mental Health Services can make enquires of the relevant approved centre on subsequent inspection.
The Expert Group Review of the Mental Health Act 2001 which was published in 2015 looked at the complaints procedures that currently exist within the mental health service and examined a suggestion of providing for a separate Mental Health Ombudsman. It was felt by the Group that as complaints about mental health services already have access to the existing Office of the Ombudsman and the fact that a separate complaints system for mental health patients could be seen as discriminatory, it would be premature to recommend a Mental Health Ombudsman at this juncture, however it was recommended that it should be re-examined as part of the suggested five to ten year review of any new Act.
