Publication
Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
‘Sharing the Vision’ is the successor to ‘A Vision for Change’ that was launched in 2006. It carries forward those elements of the original policy that still have relevance in-light of expert opinion. It incorporates new recommendations as appropriate to enhance national policy, while simultaneously aligning with the ten-year vision for reform and transformation of Ireland’s health and social care services encapsulated in the Sláintecare report.
Sharing the Vision focuses on developing a broad based, whole system mental health policy for the whole of the population. A large-scale consultation process informed the recommendations in this policy, and directly engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including people with personal experience, family members, community and voluntary sector groups and staff.
Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone
The policy is action-oriented and focused on better outcomes for people experiencing mental health difficulties to bring about tangible changes in their lives and achieve better results. By concentrating on outcomes this ‘refresh’ supports significant changes in the delivery of mental health services.
Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone, Ireland’s national mental health policy aims to enhance 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.
Our new Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan 2022 – 2024, the first of three planned implementation plans, outlines a programme of work for the next three years to progress the 100 policy recommendations.
Its delivery will be driven by a focus on outcomes and a shared commitment to work in partnership with staff, service users and families, and all relevant stakeholders to achieve our goal of a modern and an enhanced mental health service that meet the needs of those who require our services.
The National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) is collectively responsible for driving and overseeing the long-term implementation of the national mental health policy Sharing the Vision. The NIMC comprises a Steering Committee, chaired by Mr John Saunders, the HSE Implementation Group, the Reference Group, and an associated Specialist Group Panel. The first meeting of the NIMC Steering Committee occurred on 11 December 2020. Further information on the NIMC, including minutes of meetings and Sharing the Vision Reports, is available on the NIMC webpage.
