Mayo county councillor Seamus Weir has reiterated a call that a letter be sent to the Junior Minister for Health Kathleen Lynch highlighting the need for mental health services within the primary care system.
Mr Weir made his first proposal at the last meeting of the HSE West regional health forum in November, but the letter had not been sent so he outlined the urgency of the situation, in view of the fact that three suicides had taken place in Cllr Weir’s locality (Ballina ) since that last meeting.
He was told that a presentation on suicide prevention and primary care strategy would be taking place at a forum meeting in Limerick in February. But Cllr Weir was not satisfied and stressed that urgent measures needed to be taken before then.
Speaking after the meeting Cllr Weir said a stigma still exists in relation to mental health. He added that early detection was vital in the prevention of suicides, and suggested that providing mental health services through the primary care system was the way forward and would ease the burden on the mental health service.
According to Cllr Weir a lot of mental health professionals are already working in the primary care sector and a service exists for adolescents. But it is his opinion that this service should be extended to adults.
He was supported by Clare county councillor Richard Butler, who told the meeting last Tuesday that he was personally touched by suicide in the last year. “This should be dealt with as an emergency,” he said.
