AS A parable for our times, the mental health service tells a revealing story. Three years ago the Government adopted A Vision for Changeas its blueprint to transform our neglected mental health service. It was accompanied by pledges that it would be fully resourced and implemented.
The report was progressive and ambitious in its scope. It envisaged closing our old psychiatric institutions; putting in place fully-staffed multi-disciplinary mental health teams to offer more home-based services; and transferring people with intellectual disabilities out of psychiatric hospitals.
Three years later, we are still waiting for progress. We still do not have an implementation plan. Much of the funding set aside to modernise mental health services has been siphoned off into other areas of the health budget. Appallingly, hundreds of intellectually disabled people continue to languish in old psychiatric hospitals under unacceptable conditions, without meaningful access to recreational or therapeutic activities.
An independent group established by the Government to monitor progress in implementing the plan has helped shed light on why there has been such little action. Its report this week pointed to a lack of clear and identifiable leadership in driving the plan forward.
A key aim – the establishment of a national mental health service directorate – has still not been acted on. If there is to be any urgency in implementing A Vision for Change, this measure must be implemented immediately. There is also a pressing need to publish a detailed plan with targets, timeframes and resource commitments if there is to be any meaningful progress.
The Health Service Executive says it is committed to implementing the blueprint and points to some progress in appointing new staff to the sector. But it is clear that it is continuing to marginalise the service through neglect and inaction. The result is that thousands of people, as well as their families and carers, are struggling to access services which meet the most basic of standards.
It is 25 years since the Government published its previous strategy for mental health, Planning for the Future. It was never fully implemented and suffered the death of a thousand health service cuts.
This latest plan is in danger of losing all credibility if there is no sign of progress soon. Patients, residents and their families, cannot afford to wait. Time is running out very fast.