A chara, – Planned further cuts to mental health funding (Front Page, September 5th) are utterly unsurprising. Mental health is an easy target.
Using mental health funds to pay down deficits in other areas will only decrease the ability of mental health services to respond effectively to the mental health needs of citizens and storing up problems that are likely going to cost more to remedy. Yet this “long finger” health policy response is typical the world over.
The Programme for Government (2011-2016) pledged to “ring-fence €35 million annually from within the health budget to develop community mental health teams and services”. I’m sure one of the well-paid advisers will tell us how they intend to square that circle. – Is mise,