The speakers included: Prof Agnes Higgins, School of Nursing and Midwifery at TCD; Dr Pat Bracken consultant psychiatrist and clinical director, Centre for Mental Health Care and Recovery, West Cork; Mr Martin Doolan and Mr David Green, Assessment Careplanning Integrated Records (ACIR), South Tipperary Mental Health Service; Ms Lorna Ní Chéirín, DCU, Mental Health Trialogue Network Initiative (MHTNI2) in Clonmel; Mr Nick Bowles, trainer in solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) and the developer of the award-winning ‘Refocusing’ model for UK in-patient psychiatric units; and Dr Yulia Kartalova-O’Doherty, researcher at the HRB.

 

The symposium highlighted some exciting new initiatives in various mental health services, both in South Tipperary and elsewhere in Ireland, such as trialogue, ACIR, and the Centre for Mental Health in West Cork. One of the key messages of the symposium was that refocusing on recovery constitutes a big change and challenge for many service users, carers and service providers. Empowerment of all stakeholders is needed in order to support and sustain this major change. Promoting teamwork and successful communication are among other big challenges facing all mental health stakeholders. The symposium helped participants to share information about their innovative work, and to discuss opportunities and challenges facing mental health services in times of economic crisis. For more details about the symposium, please contact Dr Maeve Martin at Maeve.Martin@hse.ie .

 

 

1. Genio is a not-for-profit organisation working with public, private and social sector organisations to ensure that people at risk of social exclusion are supported to live full lives in their communities. For details see www.genio.ie

2. See  http://www.trialogue.co/