Regional trauma centres in NI 'essential' in tackling mental health crisis
Politicians and mental health campaigners have called for regional trauma centres, to help tackle high suicide rates across Northern Ireland.
Last updated 21st Feb 2018
Representatives from mental health charities, the mental health foundation and the Royal College of Psychiatrists met at Westminster on Tuesday, to discuss the deepening mental health crisis in Northern Ireland.
The delegation called for regional trauma centres to help address the mental health legacy of the Troubles.
According to the latest regional figures, the number of suicides in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement, exceeds the Troubles death toll.
4,400 people took their own lives in NI between 1998 and 2016, compared with 3,600 deaths during the conflict from 1969-1997.
Campaigners claim this alarming statistic proves there is a mental health crisis in NI and have called on Westminster to step in urgently.
Representatives are also calling for an updated mental health strategy and a mental health champion to help co-ordinate the new proposals.
Dr Iris Elliot of the Mental Health Foundation said people with conflict related trauma require a unique type of treatment which could be provided in specialist centres:
"We cannot achieve a peaceful society in Northern Ireland without peaceful minds.
"If we invest in mental health support and work together to prevent mental health problems, then mental health will be an asset for our society.
"The failure to deliver for mental health over the last 13 months and indeed over the last 20 years since the Peace Settlement in unacceptable.
"Mental Health Foundation is standing alongside Northern Ireland mental health charities and professional bodies to call for immediate government action.
"During the last 13 months we have lost so many opportunities to support people experiencing mental health problems and prevent their occurrence.
"Therefore, commitments secured need to be robustly monitored by politicians at Westminster.
"Whatever form of government we have in Northern Ireland, mental health must be its top priority."
The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson led the delegation and said the situation is unique in Northern Ireland:
"Well I think we've heard today why it is so important that politicians like myself and those representing organisations involved in the provision of mental health services and carers and those who suffer from mental health problems that we need to have a joined up approach.
"We need to be talking to the Secretary of State about where we are with a strategy with mental health, where we are with the appointment of a mental health champion and we are going to take these issues forward now to the Secretary of State."
"We've secured some additional funding from the government at Westminster, £10 million a year to be spent on mental health services in Northern Ireland.
"We want to look at some of that funding being spent on developing a new strategy on mental health but also to establish the regional trauma service.
"The first...of that money we expect will be in this year's budget, to be announced soon and that will be a very important first step towards bringing forward the issues that we've heard about today."
"It is welcome that additional funding is coming but clearly we need to ensure that that money is spent properly.
"We need to ensure that the money that is already allocated to mental health is services actually is used for that purpose and there is evidence sometimes that that doesn't happen.
"And then developing a new strategy to take forward effective mental health services in Northern Ireland so that we learn from the lessons of the past and we ensure that the service we provide going forward is even better."