Report Published to Inform Development of Ireland’s National Mental Health Policy

As part of on-going work to measure the impact of the implementation of Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy, the Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler TD, announced the publication of a report entitled \’Mental health-related indicators for measuring performance and impact of mental health policy: an evidence brief\’. The research was commissioned by the Department of Health and undertaken by the Health Research Board (HRB).

To inform the development of a set of outcome indicators for assessing the performance and impact of Ireland’s national mental health policy, today’s report reviews mental health outcome indicators used internationally as part of a scoping exercise.

Minister Mary Butler said, \”I am pleased to publish this unique piece of research which, for the first time, looks at the practical question of how best to measure the impact of the implementation of mental health policy. The research provides examples of international best practice to guide our thinking as we continue to push forward improvements across the provision of all mental health services in Ireland. This research will form the basis of a much wider exercise in developing objective ways of measuring the success of policy implementation for Sharing the Vision, and I am excited to see this work progress in the coming months and years.\”

The piece of research published today is closely tied to the implementation of Recommendation 77 of Sharing the Vision, which seeks to develop a standardised means of measuring the impact of the Policy across its lifespan.

It is expected that this research will contribute to the robust measurement and assessment of the implementation of Sharing the Vision as the policy progresses.

Sharing the Vision aims to enhancing the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum – from mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery during the period 2020-2030.

The report can be viewed here.