The Alliance for Mental Health, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and Mt Carmel Management has met to discuss the future plans for the mental health sector.

Recently, the Alliance for Mental Health (A4MH) called on the government to include critical stakeholders to make a real difference to the way mental health treatment is provided, and eventually bring people out of mental health facilities and into community care.

Fearne said that work is ongoing in four different areas.

The first is Mt Carmel Hospital, which is currently undergoing a restructuring process. A new organisation plan is also underway.

The second, he said, will be the acute mental care hospital. On this note, he said the medical brief is being drawn up.

The third is the national strategy for health 2020-2030, which will allocate prominence to mental health care. This strategy, he said, is being done by the Health Ministry in collaboration with Barts University in London.

The fourth area, he explained, is the continued strengthening of mental health services in the community.

Getting people out of hospital

Health Minister on psychiatric care