SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan has welcomed an extension of a suicide prevention strategy but has expressed concerns that its full implementation has been hindered by the absence of an executive.
The Department of Health announced an extension of Protect Life 2 Strategy which aimed to reduce suicide rates by 10% and focus on the delivery of suicide prevention services in areas of high deprivation by 2024.
The three-year extension is to allow time for a fuller implementation.
Said the Foyle MLA: “I welcome this extension to protect life but it’s clear there needs to be more resources in terms of the overall Mental Health Strategy.
“There will be more pressure at the acute end of mental health services and it’s important that we see adequate investment early intervention and prevention services to ensure that people don’t reach crisis point in the first place.
“This upstream approach is necessary to allow people to get timely and appropriate support.
“A meagre £5.5 million has been allocated for the delivery of the overarching Mental Health Strategy for 2023/24.
“To put that in to perspective, the Mental Health Funding Plan set out by the department identifies an estimated investment need of £112m to £158m revenue per year.
“The continued absence of an executive is having a destabilising impact on the delivery of a wide range of services, not just across health but every government department.
“This vital suicide prevention strategy was hard-won after years of campaigning from myself and many others, to tackle the epidemic of suicide and its devastating impact within our communities.”
He added: “It’s important that the progress which has been made is built upon.
“There are many organisations working extremely hard on the issue of poor mental health within our communities but they are woefully under-resourced.
“We need to see the full implementation of Protect Life 2 to bolster existing support services and to ensure lives are saved.”
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