Budget 2022 must prioritise mental health services

LABOUR Senator Annie Hoey has said charities like the Samaritans cannot be expected to continue to pick up the pieces for Government’s failure to implement and resource the national mental health policy. Speaking today, Senator Hoey said the Government needs to prioritise community mental health services in the forthcoming budget to stop people falling through the cracks and into the wrong services.

Senator Hoey said:

“The statistics published by the Samaritan’s today are truly alarming. The pandemic forced us to stay apart and while it is unsurprising to see an increase in people reporting isolation and loneliness, it is a totally failure of this Government to better equip public health resources to manage the crisis in mental health in this country.

“We know that over 90% of mental health needs can be successfully treated within a primary care setting, with less than 10% being referred to specialist community based mental health teams. Assessment, prevention and early-intervention is critical to alleviating health issues and taken pressure off stretched CAMHS services. Last year in Labour’s alternative Budget we proposed over €700 million in new health spending, including €80 million in mental health funding. This funding would be vital to deal with the knock-on effects of the pandemic in terms of mental health, particularly for those who are struggling with the social impact of the pandemic.

“Ireland currently has one of the highest rates of mental health illness in Europe. One in four people in our society will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Mental health issues have becoming increasingly prevalent amongst our youth with the increased pressures – both online and offline – that they face. This has been particularly stark in the tsunami of referrals for treatment for eating disorders, which started long before the pandemic, but has exploded throughout the past 18 months. As a member of the Health Committee, I requested that the care for those suffering from eating disorders be prioritised back in May of this year.

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“The same 3 beds have been available for ED care for over a decade now, despite clear knowledge that eating disorders have the highest mortality and morbidity of all of the mental health conditions. There has been much talk about regional beds and increasing resources throughout the country, but the time for talk is over. The Minister needs to urgently increase funding and capacity within the HSE to treat these people. A plan for beds and resources isn’t worth the paper it’s written on if it’s not implemented immediately.

“We know that Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our collective mental health with so many people struggling with anxiety, loss and fear. It is essential that Government is ambitious for mental health services that are properly resources and staffed. The State’s failure to prioritise mental health can only be covered up by charities like the Samaritans for so long.”

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