News from: media

January 18, 2008

News Highlights (11th - 18th January 2008)

Mental Health Service

Mental health group's funding cut
Irish Times Subscription (Tue, 15 Jan 2008)
The largest mental health support organisation in the State has said it is is being forced to scale back services for people with mental health problems due to a lack of State funding.
Grow, a national network of more than 145 groups that help people who have suffered, or are suffering, from mental health problems, said it is being forced to reduce staffing and support services in some areas, despite unprecedented demand for help.

262 psychiatric patients held against will are released
Irish Independent (Tue, 15 Jan 2008)
Around 20 psychiatric patients who were detained in mental hospitals against their will are now being released every month after pleading their case before special tribunals. The mental health tribunals were set up over a year ago to allow patients who were the subject of involuntary detention orders to make their case to have it lifted. Previously, they had to rely on psychiatrists to deem if they were suitable to have the order lifted.

Offices focusing on mental health and older people planned
Irish Times Subscription (Mon, 14 Jan 2008)
The Government is planning to establish separate ministerial offices with responsibility for mental health and older people to improve the co-ordination of policy in these areas.
The Cabinet is expected to approve the establishment of two separate offices shortly, which would have their own staff seconded from a number of Government departments.

Children in adult psychiatric care branded ‘a disgrace’
Irish Medical News (Mon, 14 Jan 2008)
A leading consultant psychiatrist has described new figures which show that almost 200 children with mental health problems were put into adult psychiatric centres last year as a “disgrace”. Prof Patricia Casey said that there should be appropriate facilities for children who experience mental health difficulties, in response to the new figures from the Mental Health Commission.

Mental Health Act: revised forms
Irish Medical News (Fri, 11 Jan 2008)
The ICGP is informing GPs that forms for involuntary psychiatric admissions have been revised.  The Mental Health Commission has notified the College that some of the Mental Health Act 2001 statutory forms have been revised, it said.  Since commencement of the Mental Health Act 2001 there have been a number of cases before the Courts that have clarified certain sections and aided interpretation of the Act, said the College.

Mental Health

LGBT mental health study underway
Medicine Weekly (Tue, 15 Jan 2008)
The first significant study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered (LGBT) mental health and well-being in Ireland is now underway. A research team from Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin has been commissioned by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), in collaboration with BeLonG To Youth Project.

Suicide Prevention

Anger over suicide prevention budget
Irish Examiner (Wed, 16 Jan 2008)
THE national office charged with tack- ling suicide must do so without additional funding this year, prompting a furious reaction from suicide prevention groups. The HSE confirmed the National Office for Suicide Prevention will be given €4.5 million this year, the same figure as last year, although its budget for 2007 included additional funding of €1.85m— a commitment that has so far not been repeated.

Leitrim tops suicide table
Sunday Times (Sun, 13 Jan 2008)
Leitrim has recorded the highest suicide rate in Ireland for the second year in a row, with one in 4,825 inhabitants taking their lives in 2006. The latest statistics reveal that suicide rates remain high in many rural areas, men in the northwest being most at risk. Cork was the only county with a substantial urban area to make it into the top five, and two-thirds of its 73 suicides were in rural parts of the county.

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