Mental Health Service needs to be modernised

Health Minister Paul Goggins, has today acknowledged that mental health and learning disability services in Northern Ireland need major modernisation.

In order to do this, the Minister has established a cross government taskforce and announced a new post for a Director for Mental Health and Learning Disability – which is to be advertised in newspapers today.

The announcement was made while the Minister was giving his initial response to the findings of the Bamford Review - an independent review of mental health policy and legislation in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins said: "Health and social services for people with mental health problems or a learning disability have not moved with the times. They are out-dated and do not meet people's needs. We need to move away from an over reliance on hospital care to more responsive care and treatment from GPs and community teams. We need to promote effective counselling and personal support and reduce dependency on medication. We need to put patients first."

The Minister also highlighted the important role of the new champion of mental health and learning disability.

He said: "I want mental health and learning disability to move to the top table of the health service. We need someone to champion its cause, and fight for the new services that people need. I am pleased to announce that the new post of Director for Mental Health and Learning Disability has been advertised today. This person will be crucial in taking forward the government's response to the Bamford review. The Director will act primarily as adviser to me and to other Ministers, working in partnership with relevant mental health and learning disability leaders in Northern Ireland and elsewhere and working across all departments to secure the services required."

The Minister added that the government as a whole, would have to take action as a result of the review.

He concluded: "Many of the review's recommendations impact not only on health and social care, but on all public services in Northern Ireland, including education, employment, training, housing and social security benefits. I have decided, therefore to establish an Inter-Departmental Task Force to oversee the whole Government response to the review."

(EF/KMcA)