A newly-formed mental health lobbying organisation will today call on the Government to spell out how it plans to fund and implement its new policy aimed at improving services for people with psychiatric problems.
The main aim of the Irish Mental Health Lobbying Network, established by Amnesty International's Irish section, is to ensure the Government's new 10-year mental health policy - A Vision for Change- does not share the same fate as its predecessor in the 1980s which was never fully implemented.
The network will call for a range of measures to help ensure sufficient levels of money and attention are focused on improving services.
Among its recommendations will be:
A detailed implementation plan for A Vision for Change, with clear performance targets, timelines and concrete resource commitments;
The independent monitoring group, which reviews progress of the mental health plan, should publish annual implementation reports to provide regular indications of the pace of change in the service;
The Government should identify what further and better provision could be made in legislation to meet the goals set out in its 10-year plan;
All relevant departments should identify costs associated with the full implementation of the plan, and assess the maximum available resources needed to implement it. They should make express provision for this in their annual budgets;
Dedicated funding should be provided by the Government for mental health service research.
Amnesty International says vigorous lobbying by organisations, people with mental health problems and their families will be needed to ensure the Government's policy becomes reality. The launch of the Network's campaign is due to take place at the offices of the Equality Authority today. One of the speakers, Prof Graham Thornicroft, a leading international expert on mental health policy, is expected to underline the benefits and importance of proper investment in the mental health sector.
Many experts and campaigners say the lack of political will or lobbying power surrounding mental health issues has resulted in inaction and underfunding of the psychiatric sector. The Government's Planning for the Future strategy, launched in 1984, envisaged closing down old psychiatric hospitals and establishing greater levels of care in the community. However, health cutbacks meant many of its recommendations were shelved. A Vision for Changerecommends significant changes and improvements in the mental health sector, which has often been described as the Cinderella of the health service.
The Irish Mental Health Lobbying Network aims to offer monthly actions, resources and advice to members of the public who want to lobby their elected representatives for improvements in mental health promotion, prevention and services.
