Newry Mourne and Down District Councillors unanimously supported a notice of motion at a full council meeting held on Monday 6th June by Independent Councillor Patrick Clarke calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to implement a mental health strategy and to ring fence more funding for mental health and mental well-being.
Slieve Croob Councillor Patrick Clarke said: “I welcome that there was unanimous cross-party support including Independent Councillors regarding my notice of motion asking the Council to write to the First Minister, Deputy First Minister and Health Minister regarding developing a mental health strategy.
“Over recent years there has been an increasing recognition of mental ill health as a major health issue in Northern Ireland and it is now regarded as one of the four most significant causes of ill health and disability in Northern Ireland, along with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and cancer.
“It is estimated that one in five people in Northern Ireland has a mental health problem at any one time.
“Northern Ireland has also been noted to have higher levels of poor mental health than anywhere else in the UK or Ireland.
“Between 2008 and 2014 actual spend on mental health services by Trusts has been around 25% less than previously proposed.
“In comparison with other types of healthcare such as primary care which has had funding increases by 136% over the same period, mental health services have experienced year on year decreases in funding since 2009.
“Without question I believe there is major under financing of mental health services in Northern Ireland which is a systemic and long term issue that is set to exacerbate in the coming years, most particularly in rural areas including Newry Mourne and Down and across other Council areas in Northern Ireland.”
Councillor Clarke added: “Rural isolation is a key issue and whilst it is inevitable that specialist resources can in some instances only be provided in Belfast, it is a real challenge for some people to make the journey from isolated rural areas. Resources should be provided to support people’s access to services.”
“Whilst I fully recognise that improvements have been made in mental health service provision since Bamford and Transforming your care, funding cutbacks have curtailed progress and will continue to do so in the coming years unless there is change.”
“I would like to see that the Northern Ireland Executive will ensure that adequate and sufficient funding is made available for mental health in Northern Ireland to achieve and deliver the service improvements envisaged by the Bamford Review.
“Mental Health should be ring fenced from any future budget cuts as a key means of delivering on the goals of the Bamford Review in the current financial climate.
“Whilst I welcome that the Northern Ireland Executive is committed to improving mental health within the current draft Programme for Government, 2016- 2021 – simply committing to improving mental health is too generic – more needs to be done including prioritising and addressing mental health and mental well-being as one of the most important health issues currently affecting people of all ages in Northern Ireland.
“I know at first hand as someone who has suffered over a number of years with poor mental health having battled depression and then being finally diagnosed with depression how mental health is still in today’s world perceived as a taboo subject, a stigma, and something when you tell a person that you suffer from either depression or mental health problems is not yet fully understood like cancer, heart problems or other physical illnesses.”
“I would urge the Northern Ireland Executive to dedicate more resources and funding in conjunction with developing a mental health and mental wellbeing strategy plan with all major stakeholders including the community, voluntary, and private sector and Ministerial Government departments which can help address and tackle those affected with mental health problems across Northern Ireland.
“I wish to commend and welcome the sterling voluntary work of the numerous local community, voluntary, charitable and mental health organisations across Newry, Mourne and Down District Council many of which receive no Government financial assistance and have been providing support to those affected by suicide and self-harm with a view to reducing the STIGMA of suicide, mental health in general and encouraging people to seek help.
“The efforts of these organisations to reach as many people as possible, by promoting positive mental health and well-being and to improving the attitude towards mental health issues in all communities throughout Northern Ireland has undoubtedly without question helped save many lives of those suffering with mental health.
“But mental health and mental wellbeing should not just be left to these organisations alone. There needs to be radical and innovative thinking from politicians to the whole question of mental health and wellbeing by the Stormont Executive.
“An evaluation report of mental health service provision in Northern Ireland which was prepared for Action Mental Health by Queen’s University, Belfast, concludes that the greatest challenge facing mental health services stemmed from the impact of continuing financial restraint.
“That is why I am pleased that Newry Mourne and Down District Councillors have tonight supported my motion”.
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Notice of motion: “That this Council writes to the offices of the First and Deputy First Minister calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to now urgently prioritise and address mental health and mental well-being as one of the most important health issues currently affecting people of all ages in Northern Ireland and also urges the Northern Ireland Executive to dedicate more resources and funding in conjunction with developing a mental health and mental wellbeing strategy plan with all major stakeholders including the community, voluntary, and private sector and Ministerial Government departments which can help address and tackle those affected with mental health problems across Northern Ireland.”
