“WE need a different approach to the provision of mental health services.”
That was the comment from Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Limerick City, Maurice Quinlivan this week as he welcomed the publication of his party’s Mental Health Manifesto.
“I believe it is our duty as policy setters and legislators to do better and I believe that better is possible,” Deputy Quinlivan told the Limerick Post.
This means adopting a modern outlook and developing an understanding of the changing world so we can respond better to people’s needs.
“Our health service must treat our minds as well as our bodies. No longer should the provision of services be obstructed by backward thinking or by stigma.
“I am acutely aware of the challenges facing mental health services here in Limerick and the mid-west, with voluntary groups here working flat out to fill the huge gap left by the lack of funding and support from central government.
“Sinn Féin wants to transform mental health care,” he declared.
And to do this, they pledge to put strategies in place that work and back those strategies with the appropriate level of resources if they get in to Government after next week’s election.
“We will deliver mental health care that puts people first, and we will do this with clear and direct action.”
Deputy Quinlivan considers Sinn Féin’s Mental Health Manifesto as comprehensive.
“It is a plan that meets the scale of the challenge we face today, and we are committing to, amongst other proposals; full implementation of ‘A Vision for Change’, fully staffed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) teams, investment in mental health primary care, and a school curriculum for Positive Mental Health.
“Sinn Féin is stepping up and answering the call from the community for a better approach to mental health,” he concluded.
