Sir, – As the fight against Covid-19 shows signs of succeeding, the battle for the mental health of the nation has not yet begun. The impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing because of lockdown has received some attention but the full impact has yet to come.
And like Covid-19, the mental health crisis will be on top of an already threadbare mental health service, with long waiting lists and variable or indeed non-existent services depending on where you live – a true postcode lottery.
I think it is time the Government recognised the true value of our mental health and appointed a separate “Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing”, with an appropriate transparent budget and accountability for mental health services.
And I don’t mean a Minister of State with special responsibility – that doesn’t work! We have responded to the financial crisis by devising two finance Ministries. We now have two education Ministers.
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Why not two health Ministers? – Yours, etc,
TOM
GERAGHTY,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.