Press release
Appointment of a new independent chair for ‘Sharing the Vision National Implementation and Monitoring Committee
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Today, the Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler announced the appointment of Ms Catherine Brogan as the next independent Chair of the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) of Sharing the Vision – a Mental Health Policy for Everyone (2020-2030).
Ms Brogan will take the position from January 2024, succeeding the previous Chair, Mr John Saunders, whose term will end in December 2023. The NIMC is responsible for driving and overseeing the implementation and roll out of Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy. Sharing the Vision is a whole system policy to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum from promotion of positive mental health to specialist mental health service delivery.
Minister Butler said:
"The appointment of an independent Chairperson for the NIMC is key to the successful implementation of our national mental health policy Sharing the Vision. I am really pleased that Catherine Brogan will take on the role. Ms Brogan brings a wealth of experience in the mental health sector, and her breadth of knowledge will ensure that the implementation of Sharing the Vision remains consistent with national standards in mental health care and will deliver enhanced mental health services.
"Catherine succeeds John Saunders who has done an excellent job in steering the NIMC since taking up the Chair role in 2020. I would like to sincerely thank him for his significant contribution and commitment to the role, and to the implementation of mental health policy nationally."
Sharing the Vision has a strong focus on outcomes achieved for people using mental health services, with significant cross-sectoral and inter-departmental commitments to improve the mental health of Ireland’s population, across each person’s lifecycle. The policy seeks to enhance a wide range of services, from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention to acute and specialist services, and places the needs of the individual at the centre of service delivery.
The appointment of a Chair to lead the NIMC in independently overseeing the implementation of Sharing the Vision is an important step in driving these objectives.
Ms Catherine Brogan said:
"It is an honour to accept this role. I am passionate about mental health and seeing the recommendations of Sharing the Vision being translated into practical application. Sharing the Vision addresses mental health in its broadest context, from promotion, prevention, intervention and postvention. It also ensures that there is a recognition of the connection between mental and physical health and the impact of the social determinants of mental health on the whole population. I would like to thank Minister Butler for this appointment, and I look forward to working with her and the NIMC."
Sharing the Vision (2020-2030) is Ireland’s ambitious, multifaceted national mental health policy to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and specialist mental health service delivery during the period 2020-2030. It builds on the achievements of A Vision for Change, with a focus on a wider, cross-sectoral service provision appropriate to whole population needs. Sharing the Vision contains 100 specific recommendations of varying complexity and timeframes.
Recommendation 99 of Sharing the Vision requires the establishment of a whole-of-government National Implementation Monitoring Committee with strong service user and voluntary and community sector representation to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in the policy and to monitor progress.
The first NIMC was established in December 2020 and comprises a Steering Committee, alongside the HSE Implementation Group, a Reference Group of lived experience, and associated Specialist Groups. The NIMC approved the Implementation Plan 2022-2024 for Sharing the Vision in March 2022. Further information on the membership and work of the current committee is available. The second term of the Committee will commence in January 2024 for a four year duration with the full membership to be announced in the coming weeks.
Ms Catherine Brogan has a wealth of experience in the Mental Health Sector and is currently President of Mental Health Europe (2021-2024). She has recently served five years as Deputy CEO of Mental Health Ireland. Previous roles include Executive Director of Samaritans Ireland, Managing Partner, Advancing Recovery in Ireland (ARI) National Specialist Planner for Mental Health with the HSE and Acting Director for the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.