MINISTER OF State for Mental Health Kathleen Lynch admitted yesterday that there had been “a lot of tension” in her role recently.
Ms Lynch was speaking at a Health Service Executive event in Ballyfermot to launch a document on the integration of primary care and specialist mental health services in the community.
Complimenting the work of the Ballyfermot and Palmerstown primary care and mental health centre, Ms Lynch said: “If a team works well, it’s only because there are people in that team who are prepared to work on relationships.
We’ve all been in situations where we walked into a room and there was tension. Recently there has been a lot of tension,” the Minister said. “We’ve all been in that position and you feel it. You instantly feel that there is a tension, so the team working together well is vitally important for the service user.”
The event was also the first public engagement of newly appointed Minister of State for Health Alex White. Mr White declined to comment on the criteria used by Minister for Health James Reilly on the location of primary care centres saying: “I’m just a week in the job . . . I don’t have anything to say about those issues yet.” Mr White said primary care centres where the public could have direct access were critical to health reform and to the Government’s commitment to universal primary care.
“The HSE is committed to having 485 operational teams in place by the end of this year,” he said. He said there were 36 centres in operation, with a further 20 to be commissioned through public private partnership.”
There was a heavy Garda presence at the event after protesters had last week surrounded the car of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald at an event in Ballyfermot.
