Failure in HSE accountability on mental health

The HSE must be called to account for its continuing failure in mental health, said Amnesty International Ireland (AI) and the Irish Mental Health Coalition (IMHC) yesterday.

The call comes after the release yesterday (1 July, 2010) of the fourth Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Group (IMG) for Government’s mental health policy, A Vision for Change.

The IMG report shows a lack of leadership on mental health within the HSE, a lack of strong and transparent governance structures, and little progress in establishing the Community Mental Health Teams, without which the Government strategy cannot work.

Failure of accountability

“It is appalling that the IMG, based on the information they requested to conduct this review, found that the HSE is ‘unable or unwilling to provide the information required’,” said Noeleen Hartigan, Programmes Director at Amnesty International Ireland yesterday.

“This failure of accountability cannot continue. Government must get a tighter grip on how their stated policies are being carried out. Legislation to ensure the HSE delivers Government policy should be adopted.

“As well as a lack of data, there is a lack of clarity on funding. Government and the HSE must work together to urgently put in place an appropriate accounting system for mental health service spending.”

Damning analysis

Orla Barry, Director of the IMHC said, “After four years of promises for improvement, we are once again faced with a damning analysis of the HSE’s mental health service delivery.

“There is an urgent need for clear, time-lined plans to implement A Vision for Change and for the Assistant National Director for Mental Health to have the authority and resources to drive change.”

Both organisations welcomed the IMG’s recommendation that the remit of the Office for Disability and Mental Health be extended to cover key departments who have a role in delivering the current policy.

The IMG report noted that progress by other Government departments on their mental health responsibilities was slow. The organisations stressed that implementation of A Vision for Change requires full commitment by all the relevant Government Departments named in the policy.

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