CENTRE for CROSS BORDER STUDIES
Generating real benefits through practical cross-border cooperation in Ireland
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Press Release 6 November 2002
To develop effective mental health promotion policies in the two Irish jurisdictions, “it makes sense to pool knowledge, expertise and resources” across the Irish border, says a new study published today by the Centre for Cross Border Studies and the Institute of Public Health in Ireland. (page 127) The report – Promoting Mental Health and Social Well-being: Cross-Border Opportunities and Challenges – is by a cross-border team led by Dr Margaret Barry and Sharon Friel of the Centre for Health Promotion Studies at National University of Ireland Galway. It will be launched by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Mr Tim O’Malley TD, at Buswells Hotel in Molesworth Street in Dublin at 9.30 am on Wednesday 6th November. The report says that in order to tackle the wide range of mental health issues which are common to both Irish jurisdictions, “integrated strategies are needed rather than isolated and once off developments”. The report suggests that “for successful cross-border collaboration in this area, there needs to be support at a high political level. Co-operation on health promotion is on the agenda of the North/South Ministerial Council and over the past number of years co-operation at the level of exchange of information and experiences has taken place. It is now timely to give greater visibility to mental health promotion on this agenda and to agree strategically on priority areas and the types of support needed for co-operation in terms of formal structure and dedicated funding.” (page 127) In an introduction to the report, Mr Shay McGovern and Ms Pat Osborne, senior officials in the health promotion sections of the Department of Health and Children in the South and the Department of Health, Social Services in the North, say “it is recognised that a more structured approach to cross-border collaboration is required.” In pursuit of this the two Departments and the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland are “currently developing a North/South health promotion collaborative programme. Mental health promotion will be an integral component of that programme and this report will be a valuable asset in the development of that aspect of the programme.” They say the report’s recommendations “are challenging but attainable, and if implemented would have significant impact on promoting positive mental health.” (page 6). The report examines five case studies of cross-border mental health promotion working: support for people with cancer, postnatal depression, public awareness of suicide, the mental health of young men and and mental health in rural communities. Four of these case studies were funded by the EU Peace and Reconciliation Programme and the Co-operation and Working Together cross-border health network. The authors say that at present there is “little support and training available to new projects embarking on cross-border working for the first time.” They stress the need for preparatory work such as training in undertaking reconciliation work and in developing effective collaborative practices, as well as “the development of practical guidelines for enhancing effective cross-border working.” They also say that there is very limited evaluation of cross-border co-operation of any kind. “As a result we have little empirical evidence of whether the mechanisms used at present are the most effective or whether the objectives of cross-border co-operation are being achieved.” (page 124) They also point out that “no co-ordinated approach to population mental health monitoring exists on the island of Ireland. The inconsistency in methodologies, target populations and measures used limits to a large extent comparability of the surveys identified, thus reinforcing the need for harmonisation.” Using one measure that is compatible, the study reports that the Republic of Ireland appeared to have “lower levels of psychological distress compared to its UK counterparts, and people in Northern Ireland fare worst of all.” (page 126) The study concludes that “a common information system would be most beneficial on the island for both mental and physical health purposes.” It goes on: “Particularly given the move within Europe for harmonisation of data systems, both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will be obliged in some way to follow this direction in order to facilitate necessary comparisons with neighbouring countries.” (page 126) Among the study’s recommendations are:
Further information from Margaret Barry, NUI Galway Tel. Galway (091) 592080 Sharon Friel, NUI Galway Tel. Galway (091) 512259 Andy Pollak, Centre for Cross Border Studies Tel. 028-3751-1550 The Centre for Cross Border Studies, based in Armagh and Dublin, was set up in 1999 to research and develop co-operation across the Irish border in health, education, business, public administration, communications, agriculture, the environment and a range of other practical areas. It is an independent company jointly owned by Queen’s University Belfast, Dublin City University and the Workers Educational Association (N. Ireland). The Institute for Public Health in Ireland, based in Belfast and Dublin, and also launched in 1999, was set up to promote North/South co-operation in public health. The remit of the Institute, a joint initiative by the Department of Health and Children (Dublin) and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Belfast), includes research, information, training and policy advice. The Centre for Health Promotion Studies at NUI Galway, the only
one of its kind in Ireland, was established in 1990 with the support
of the Department of Health and Children as part of a revised national
structure for health promotion. The Centre has an active multi-disciplinary
research programme in place including both commissioned and self-initiated
research at regional, national, EU and international levels. |