The mental health sector has greatly benefited from the setting up of two hostels run by NGOs, that reintegrate patients who have been in hospital for a long time, into society.

During the presentation of the Mount Carmel Hospital (MCH) biennial report, Health Minister Louis Deguara praised the hostels, which are co-run by the Richmond Foundation and the Suret il-Bniedem Foundation.

He was flanked by the hospital’s CEO and chairman, Edward Borg and Louis Bonnici, who illustrated how the service helped to integrate those people who had recovered at MCH and were now living in a community, to re-enter society.

The 24 patients who have been housed in the two hostels have reported a great improvement in their quality of life because they were in a smaller group and could receive more personalised attention from their carers.

Mr Borg said the hostels have given patients an opportunity they had never imagined, and that they are increasing their network of friends. Mr Bonnici said the patients were living a new life. He added that the large majority of the hostel’s residents have settled in well in their new environment.

The health minister also spoke about the reduction of admissions at the hospital, which had fallen by some 200 patients from 2005 to 2006. The reduction was attributed to the new mental healthcare techniques that moved away from hospitalisation, and were focused more on community care. Dr Deguara said certain treatments – such as lobotomies – were obsolete, and certain interventions which in the past were run of the mill, were now being performed very rarely.

The minister added that certain management systems that have been launched at MCH were being implemented at Mater Dei Hospital. Of these, he mentioned the concept of a ward manager who takes care of a budget allotted to each and every ward.

Dr Deguara said that according to the World Health Organisation, mental illness would reach epidemic proportions by 2025, and that one out of every four were expected to have mental problems. This, he said, should further eliminate the stigma associated with mental institutions, as more people showed traits of mental illness. Both the elderly and the younger generation were prone to mental illness, said the minister, as old people were living longer, thus manifesting higher levels of dementia, while young and middle aged people were experiencing higher levels of stress.

Minister Deguara announced that the Attorney General was reviewing the Mental Health Act, which was expected to be enacted before the Christmas recess. He praised civil society and the opposition for their input and commented about the consensus with which the bill was expected to be enacted into law.

Mr Borg spoke about the manpower at the hospital, where 11 nurses have achieved a degree in mental health nursing, while another 17 nurses took the course.