Make mental health a political priority

Neglected and under-funded by successive governments, mental health has been pushed to the bottom of the agenda for too long.

Mental health services in Ireland simply aren’t good enough. For decades we have been promised modern mental health services with care primarily provided in the community and a significant shift away from hospitalisation in acute wards. Unfortunately for many people with a mental health problem the reality is too often admission to inappropriate Victorian style institutions, patchy care in the community, over-reliance on medication and little availability of crucial supports such as occupational therapies, social workers, counsellors or alternative therapies. When dealing with mental health our Government neglects important rights such as housing, education, and employment – all of which help a person recover.

E-MAIL RECIPIENT:

-Minister Mary Harney
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Hawkins Street
Dublin 2

Subject:

Letter:

I am writing to you to ask you to make mental health a political priority in 2010.
 
The past year has been a difficult one, not least for people with mental health problems. The link between economic difficulty and increased mental health problems is well proven. According to the Samaritans, debt and money have become the biggest cause of distress for people in the past year. Figures for the first quarter of 2009 show a 43 per cent rise in suicide rates, the first increase in recent years.
 
But we can change this.
 
Amnesty International Ireland, in partnership with people who have experience of mental health problems, has come up with three recommendations:

* Review the Mental Health Act 2001 and update it in line with the new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
    * Relevant Government Departments, not just the Department of Health and Children, take action on mental health;
    * New legislation should be introduced to deliver appropriate community-based  mental health services

For my part, I will continue to campaign on mental health throughout 2010 and beyond. Only you, as Minister for Health and Children, can make the changes in policy and legislation that are needed to improve the lives and respect the human rights of people with mental health problems.
 
2010 can be the year when we finally deliver on decades of promises for mental health. But it will require political willpower. Please make this happen and commit to the above actions.
 
Yours sincerely,

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