Key stakeholders will seek to distil the ‘essential features’ of an excellent mental health service at the annual Founder's Day conference from St Patrick's Mental Health Services (SPMHS).
Set for Friday, 27 November, our 2020 conference focuses on 'Shaping the Future of Irish Mental Healthcare'. It offers a timely opportunity to reflect on a year that saw the publication of the national policy Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone, the formation of new government, and unforeseen challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The half-day conference takes place online, and will present a variety of perspectives from 12 of Ireland’s key mental health sector groups, including service users, carers, health service providers and advocates. Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler TD, will deliver the opening address, with the keynote speech delivered by former United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Dainius Puras.
Tags: Founder's Day
Platform to exchange ideas
“Along with the pandemic, the mental health sector has undergone a shift in landscape during 2020, namely the formation of a new government and the publication of a new national mental health policy which outlines an ambitious plan for the next 10 years, with the aim of creating a service of excellence that is accessible to all."
“This year’s Founder’s Day conference provides a platform for a thought-provoking exchange of concepts and ideas to explore how we can implement real change that reflects on both the challenges and future opportunities that the pandemic has created; in particular, how services, and service users, have had to adapt, for better or worse, and how we can move forward to potentially address the crisis that has existed for a long time in mental healthcare.”
The full line-up of speakers also includes:
- John Farrelly, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mental Health Commission
- Fiona Coyle, CEO of Mental Health Reform
- Dr William Flannery, President of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
- Mary Favier, Immediate Past President of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and member of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET)
- Joseph Duffy, CEO of Jigsaw
- Mark Smyth, Senior Clinical Psychologist with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and President of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI)
- Dr Amir Niazi, National Clinical Advisor and Group Lead for Mental Health in the Health Service Executive
- Martha Griffin, Chair of the Peer Support in Mental Health Programme in Dublin City University and a peer educator with the Recovery College
- Kevin Jones, carer representative, Board member and former Secretary General of EUFAMI
- Dr Damien Brennan, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Teaching and Learning at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Trinity College Dublin.
Value-driven collaboration and innovation
“While this has been a very difficult year for most, it has highlighted the dedication, resilience, and diversity of our health service workers, including those within the mental health sector. It has also highlighted a shift in how people who use mental health services choose to access them."
"Sharing the Vision did reflect this shift and is an ambitious policy which, if implemented, will result in a mental health service that embodies the key essential features that many in the sector, including SPMHS, have been advocating for. The question is, how do we move forward to ensure its successful implementation?."
Paul Gilligan will speak on behalf of SPMHS to explore how the essential features outlined in Sharing the Vision could be realised through the development of a value-driven, financial structure focused on outcomes, and by leveraging tele-mental health services, consolidating staff, and ultimately working in collaboration with the voluntary and independent sectors to deliver on this vision.
Upcoming informative resource
While the event is free to attend, registration is essential.
Insights throughout the day will be shared across our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social channels to highlight key points and to start a conversation about the future of mental health services. You can follow and join in the exchange at the conference by using the hashtag #foundersday2020.
Download the Learning and Outcomes document
Following the Founder’s Day conference, a learning outcomes document was produced based on the broad range of perspectives delivered as part of the conference.
SPMHS Position Statement
SPMHS, along with others in the sector, is an advocate for a mental health service that is grounded in human rights and which gives all people the opportunity to lead a mentally healthy life. It would ensure equitable access to mental health services for ALL citizens. The right to good health, healthcare and mental health would be enshrined in law.
What are the six cornerstones of an excellent mental health service?
An excellent mental health service:
- provides the highest quality care:
- grounded in human rights
- measuring outcomes relating to clinical care, clinical governance processes, clinical programmes and service user experience to understand what it does well and what it needs to do to continue to improve. to understand what it does well and what it needs to do to continue to improve
- invests in research and innovation, enhancing evidence-based knowledge and developing new technologies and treatments that are efficient and cost-effective
- invests in attracting and retaining the best staff and is committed to developing the competencies of individuals and organisations providing mental healthcare. It identifies challenges in recruiting and retaining staff in mental health services and takes steps to address this shortfall.
- promotes mentally healthy living and mental health awareness and strives to reduce stigma in the community
- works in partnership with service users to plan, manage and evaluate the services it provide because it understands that full involvement has been associated with positive clinical outcomes, improved self-empowerment and enhanced recovery
- has a value-driven financial structure in place to ensure the best outcomes are being delivered for service users in the most cost-effective way; the system focuses on health outcomes per euro spent.
It doesn’t compromise on any of these cornerstones.
