Course Description

Mental Health Policy in Ireland is laid out in Vision for Change (VfC), which was published in 2006. Mental Health services are operated by the Health Service Executive (HSE), and overseen by the Mental Health Commission. The principal functions of the Commission are to promote, encourage and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards in the delivery of mental health services and to take all reasonable steps to protect the interests of persons involuntarily detained in approved centres.

Clinicians and service users alike commented that Vision for Change has been poorly implemented nationally in the six years since its adoption as government policy. There was a view that its implementation would make matters worse in rural areas, and better in urban centres. There was a feeling that current financial resource limitation and the effects of the staffing moratorium would have devastating effects on all areas.

Whilst we cannot hope to address the latter issues, because they appear to require a political solution, we hope that the course content will give participants an understanding of the ethos and direction of current mental health policy, so that we may still hope to provide a high-quality modern service even in these troubled times. Once again, we hope the links to certain documents will inspire further reading and result in a better understanding of policy issues for all participants.

Clinicians commented that VfC has been poorly implemented nationally in the six years that it has been Government policy. There was a view that its implementation would make matters worse in rural areas, and better in urban centres. It was suggested that the “push” for centers’ of excellence is actually a “push” for centres of population which has been used as an excuse to rationalise resources. It was further suggested that Mental Health cuts will have devastating effects or rural areas.

Background Reading

“A Vision for Change” publication.
Fifth Annual Report of the IMG for A Vision for Change