The HSE Mental Health Division established a mental Health Reference Group in August 2014, consisting of 13 service users, family members and carers. The group submitted recommendations to the HSE national mental health management team that were accepted in full. The recommendations outline the key structures that will be used to engage service users, their families and carers and service providers at local and national level.

In line with the recommendations, Liam Hennessy was appointed as the new Head of Service User Engagement in February and will be leading on the development of the engagement structures. A user of the mental health services himself, Liam has a background in teaching and has worked as a senior civil servant, a management consultant and, most recently, as the Service User, Assistant Inspector of Mental Health Services at the Mental Health Commission. Liam was Chair of St Patrick’s University Hospital Consumer and Carers’ Council and joint Chair of REFOCUS (Recovery Experience Forum of Carers and Users of Services), a committee of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland.

The next stages in the development of the service will include the recruitment of nine Area Leads for Engagement who will work in their designated areas, with service users and their supporters, to establish local and area forums. These forums will work in partnership with the local services to ensure that service user, family members and carer experiences and views will be taken into account in the planning and delivery of services.