This is what I wrote at the AM questions and answers session of the HSUE Conference
Questions asked and contributions made (a summary as it went along):
(1) Change of name from S Ireland to Shine, why?
(2) John McCarthy, Mad Pride: a few things I’d like to say… people here on their day off…false premise… Mental Health Act 2001 definition we are in the wrong place… my condition… all finters back to the fear and stigma issues about capacity… we need to alter the false premise… and take a lead in it.
best minister I’ve come across ever…. elephant in the room… psychothropic drugs…. increase problems harmful and adverse effect… need to challenge the drugs… they are trying to do things to our children…
(3) Power:
(4) Kieran McNulty: Tralee - involved in implementation of Vision for Change, with psychiatrist, occupational therapist, psychiatric nurse… go to be listened to by them… good ideas like development of community mental health team but it’s all down to the budget… a tragedy… so little given to mental health…. Vision for Change will not be implemented in the time frame unless the money is put behind it…
Panel respond:
John Redican says if you don’t agree with the change rate you need to campaign with others… go to general meetings..I can speak to you afterwards about this… John McCarthy is right about drugs.. WhO says the side effects is the 4th largest cause of death. 70% of admissions are re-admission… (like the prisons say I)
Bairbre says: W debated every line of Vision for Change - medical model versus the psycho-social model. Very difficult. I learned we had to bring everybody with us. if we split the consultant psychiatrists would not have been on board. Bi0-psycho-social model we came up with this. Most medics would agree that medication should not be the first interviention. We need to bring the medics with us. How all the scientific results show that if you praise people you get the best results….
Encourage their peers…
Minister replies: funding - I’m glad you asked that question. This is not all about money. V for C is a 10 year programme… if we wait for the money to be handed…. V is the roadmap… the main focus is to bring about that V. On funding, on Monday, not just about what’s been achieved. We’ll outline how we’re going to achieve V for C. Whoever’s in this department will find V for C stitched in. Asset values less than 1m euros… community mental health teams …. net savings…. I’ve said to the leaders that its up to us on a 3 monthly basis… encouraging PNA and Sibtu to join with us in changing…
we take each year as it comes…. Drop in centres in Galway I dropped in and thought if we could encompass like they’re doing in Galway, the Jigsaw, advice for all aspects of life.
try to believe… whatever is secured by the sale of assets will go into the mental health area. The praise for the 20 million : the officials in the dept sought the funding. This is the challenge I face.
(5) How strong minister is your deliberative process?
(6) A man tells his story now… I used to be a happy boy… how come 26,
(7) I put my point to the panel: why only 45 minutes given to service users on the agenda today. I have spoken and my hands are still shaking. it was wonderful to be clapped. I have challenged for an answer about the design of the conference. I have offered John Redican help with social networking…
(8) A woman speaks of not being an expert but of being well informed. She speaks up for the knowledge that users hold about their condition…
(9) A man pleads for people to reach out to others, with passion…
(10) Health commission for last 12 months: the mental health commission is outside the ombutsman’s office a man asks in a challenging voice.
(11) A woman speaks from mindfulness ireland… recieve drugs against our expressed will..we don’t think we should force our will on you… many of us have been forced to recieve drugs against our will… you have to listen to us… psychiatrists have to listen to us….
(12) A man on changing the mindset… what are professionals going to do.
(13) Social science student from UCC why can’t people access counselling without going private?
(14) Woman with an american accent… ect… against human rights… don’t say please don’t do that, say you can’t do that, overprescribed medication and ect should be a criminal act. we need to know the money from th3e sale of assets must not be spent on the4 day to day running of tired old services. Cathy Sinnot that was…
(15) Philip Collins from the Basement club in COrk… the heroics of those who brought us here today… the people in the government who backed this new plan…. I never thought this would happen… I’d like to applaud from the bottom of my heart. In west cork we had no where to go… 1 in 4 people suffer with mental illness in Irleland No one speaking up for old people drugged up to the eyeballs… There should be a major social centre… over in England they have it… There is a sceptical attitude to drugs, need an independent body nothing to do with pharmapseudical companies… some information…
Panel response:
Minister first… I have put out the message that rather than chasing ministers, we’ll meet on a 3 monthly basis… youth services too… representatives of all involved… will the annual audit involve the users? Yes. People from this organisation will be participating. 12 land banks to be announced: V is the way forward… assets money will go to implement the Vision. People should have the right to have someone accompany them to tribunals. I’m here to ensure users believe they will be involved. People with disabilities into the workforce… Press conference at end Feb on the disability side… inducement and encouragements for employers…. most important is : all will be checked on a quarterly basis.
John Radican: tablets for children… we have a mental illness system.. we need to promote a positive mental health… this was a launch… feedback sheet there…anything we could have done beter… I’d love to learn about blogging…
Wow… I’ll see him at lunch about this…
Time to stop forcing people into treatment… time to put principles into practice
