Where does The Mental Health Commisson stand?

national | consumer issues | opinion/analysis Saturday July 03, 2004 17:49 by Sean Crudden - IMPERO sean at impero dot iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth. 042 93 71310

Maorlathas?

Ba choir don Chommisiun feachaint chuige go mbeadh leanunachas comh fada agus is feidir agus iad ag dileail le othair.

The Mental Health Commission (established under the Mental Health Act 2001) advertised its "Public Consultation" in the Irish Times in an ad on Thursday 1 July 2004. The ad tells us that the principal function of the Commission is "the establishment and maintenance of high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services."

The same point of view emerges when one studies the Commission’s strategic plan for 2004/2005. Reading from the plan "Strategic Priority No 2" under the subheading "Objectives" one encounters the following: "To lead the process in the development of high standards of care and codes of practice which are uniform within the mental health services."

There is an underlying ambiguity in all of the Commission’s rhetoric. Have we already seen "high standards" in some places in Ireland (or elsewhere around the world)? And is it now only a question of bringing a few incalcitrant and backward establishments and practitioners up to speed? Or does the Commission (like many service users) see the whole mental "health" field as a graveyard area which requires reform and a fundamental rethink?

Looking at the composition of the membership of the Commission one is lead to the easy suspicion that complacency and conservatism is the order of the day.

I’m sure that current service users will shudder slightly when they read in "Strategic Priority No 3" under the heading "Targets" in the 2004/2005 plan, the following resolution: "Preparation of rules for specific treatments as defined in The Mental Health Act 2001."

Progressive? Fascistic? Or more of the same?