Mental health charity says support is out there
The reaction is following recent news that mental health waiting lists are on the rise in Northern Ireland.
Last updated 17th Nov 2024
A mental health charity is saying there is support out there - despite mental health waiting lists - which we've heard are a result of a psychiatry workforce crisis.
New data from the Royal College of Psychiatrists here states 30% more patients have been waiting for their first mental health appointment.
The union says it's due to a work force crisis within psychiatry.
The new College data also reveals consultant psychiatry vacancy rates have increased - with nearly one in four posts remaining vacant or filled by locums in 2023.
The figures show more than 24% of consultant psychiatrist posts were vacant or filled by locums in 2023 compared to 16% in 2017.
And at the same time around 29% of SAS doctor* psychiatry posts were vacant or filled by locums in 2023 compared to 19% in 2019.
There has also been no increase in psychiatry training places in NI since 2007 – a stark contrast to significant increases across the UK.
Dr Julie Anderson, chair of RCPsych NI, said: “Despite Northern Ireland having a significantly higher incidence of mental illness - we are investing substantially less than what England invests in services.
“In light of the Westminster Budget announcements recently, we’re now appealing to the Department of Health to prioritise the psychiatry workforce and help bring waiting lists down.
“We would like to see several measures which will not only benefit the patients we treat and care for, but the mental health workforce.
“The numbers speak for themselves. This is a situation beyond crisis point and simply cannot be allowed to continue. Investment in the psychiatry workforce must catch up and then keep pace with demand for services.”
The Chief Executive of Action Mental Health, David Babington, spoke to Downtown/CoolFM exclusively: "It's a difficult message... if there isn't funding and we don't have the resources to support people.... However we will always do our best to give people support with the little resources we have."
"I would say to anybody out there that there is support out there. We as an organisation will always look after somebody and always make sure they get to a safe place after they have come to us. Despite how desperate they are and how little support we can give them."
"As a charity we are finding increasingly that more people are coming to our doors in crisis and calling us - which has ever happened before."
We have contacted the Department for Health for a comment.