Empey backs call for World Class Mental Health Centre for Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has spoken in Parliament to support calls by the Ulster Unionist party Leader Mike Nesbitt MLA for a World Class Mental Health Centre for Northern Ireland to be established. Speaking during a debate in the Lords on the transition process for armed forces personnel returning to civilian life, Lord Empey said; “There is a growing number of very seriously injured service personnel returning to this country who will require a career path to be worked out for them. If they are able to undertake work, that is extremely therapeutic. There are many special needs cases among these returning personnel. A few weeks ago the Ulster Unionist Party put forward a proposal for a world-class mental health centre that we would like to be developed as part of our local mental health strategy, which is based on the Bamford review published a few years ago. It is the case, sadly, that because of our experience with Operation Banner and our Troubles over 40 years we have many people who served in the Armed Forces or the police, or their reserves, who are even now, after 30 or 40 years, presenting with clear illness only at this stage and requiring substantial aid and assistance. I just wonder how prepared we are to deal with such people. Our idea is to create in Northern Ireland a centre of excellence based partly on 40 years of experience but which would be opened up internationally, because people from, for example, the United States and the European Union have been helpful to us, and because, with our experience, we think that as well as receiving help we can perhaps give something back to the international community. That is why we are pursuing this. There was a debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday on a Motion from our party that was passed unanimously, seeking support for the implementation of a strategy to deal with the trauma that had been created. I asked the Ministry of Defence in a Question last year whether the National Health Service was prepared and resourced to deal with these matters. We have large numbers of troops returning who are going to be interfacing with a transition process. Within that number will be a percentage who, over time, will present with post-traumatic stress and related conditions. I should like to think that we as a country will put some resources into helping research and development into these conditions, which would have an international application. Perhaps this is one area in which those in Northern Ireland who have had significant experience can give a lead. This is certainly our intention.”
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:10:23 +0000
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