Concluding Conference
The Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability (NI) held a concluding conference, 'Making it Happen', on 31st October 2006. Mr. Paul Goggins, the Minister responsible for Health, Social Services, and Public Safety, gave a keynote speech at the event in which he welcomed the extensive and detailed work of the Review and signalled the Government's approach to the implementation of its reports.
A copy of his speech is available here
After the Minister had finished his speech, Professor McClelland, Chair of the Review, introduced him to several members of the Review's Steering Committee and particularly to the users of services and carers involved who had been the foundation its work.
The findings of the Review provide compelling evidence of the need for comprehensive reform and modernisation of services. Mental ill-health affects every fourth citizen in N. Ireland and costs an estimated 3-4% of GDP, mainly through loss of productivity. Further and tangible costs concern how our society treats people with mental health needs or a learning disability, people who still experience social exclusion, stigmatisation, discrimination and erosion of their fundamental rights and dignity.
The costs of failing to address these issues are far-reaching, impacting on the quality of life of individuals and families, their physical health and capacity to make effective use of health services, their employment and productivity and the general economic capital of the entire community.
There is, therefore, a need for a new vision, a new priority for the mental health of the people of Northern Ireland and a re-focusing on meeting the needs of those with mental health needs or a learning disability
The Bamford Review provides that vision.
- > Concluding Conference
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