The Mental Health Commission (MHC) has published guidelines it hopes will raise the standard of mental health services in Ireland.
The Quality Framework for Mental Health Services in Irelandframework document provides guidance for service users, service providers and the public as to what to expect from a mental health service.
The publication follows extensive consultation with stakeholders in 2005 to provide what the commission declares is "a quality framework for implementation within mental health services in Ireland".
The framework is applicable to all mental health services in the public, voluntary and independent sectors.
According to commission chairman Dr John Owens: "The quality framework promotes a user centred, recovery focused approach. But it is much more than that. It helps to empower users of the service while emphasising the individual's personal journey towards recovery," he said.
"Importantly, the quality framework is broad and enabling, and therefore applies equally to all services, irrespective of funding mechanisms or whether they are being delivered in the home, community settings or in in-patient settings."
The Health Service Executive (HSE) announced an additional investment of €50 million in mental health service provision this year following today's publication.
Martin Rogan, HSE national director for mental health, said, "I warmly welcome this quality framework, it will provide the standards by which the immense change in mental health provision can be measured, while also providing a clear and objective way of monitoring these ongoing changes."