Mental Health Reform would like you to help make mental health reform a priority. We would like people to raise their concern about Ireland’s outdated mental health services with election candidates. The quality of mental health services has a major impact on us all – one in four people experience a mental health difficulty during their lives.
We are asking candidates to commit to reform in five key areas:
- Establish an Accountable Structure: Establish a dedicated executive position at the highest level of the HSE that is responsible for implementing A Vision for Change. This should be led by a Director for Mental Health Services who has executive powers, an implementation budget and responsibility to report publicly on progress.
- Publish a Plan: Publish a comprehensive implementation plan for A Vision for Change setting out deliverables, a timeline and who is responsible.
- Financial Commitment: Commit to raising funding of mental health services from 5% to 8% of the health budget by 2016 and to clear reporting on mental health spending.
- Enact Legislation: Enact legislation to improve the health service’s accountability for planning and financing mental health service reform.
- Promote Cross-departmental Action: Promote specific cross-departmental action on mental health and the implementation of the National Disability Strategy to effectively combat social exclusion, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental health problems.
Reform of mental health services must be an election issue
More details may be found in our newsroom.
