The government says it is working to find ways to spend more money on mental health services in the island.

It will support the recommendations of a review into mental health care which branded the service stretched and under-funded.

Tynwald will debate the recommendations of the social affairs policy review committee next week and, ahead of that, the Council of Ministers has published its response.

The government says it ’welcomes the committee’s recognition that mental health care has been under-resourced and has not been accorded the same importance as physical health care’.

It says it ’concurs’ with the finding that resources are still not on an even footing with physical health care and is ’working to rectify this situation’.

The committee’s report, published last year, said the government still had a long way to go to resolve problems in mental health care, with the Department of Health and Social Care playing ’catch-up’.

Although the committee, chaired by David Cretney MLC, said the government had a well-formulated strategy to improve things, it said waiting lists for mental health services were too long, particularly for ’lower intensity services, which would alleviate demand for more intensive treatment’.

There was also a lack of after-care for service users and the report was damning of the provision for younger people with mental health issues.

In addition, the report highlighted ’insufficient communication’ between the DHSC and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture. The lack of a clearly defined pathway from education into the mental health service may lead to a deterioration on issues suffered by children.

The government acknowledges that waiting lists in the mental health services are too long, particularly for lower level (tier one and two ) services and for younger people.

It says: ’It is accepted that without additional resource the development of services was and will continue to be limited.

’The further development of tier one and two services to meet identified need is ongoing as it is recognised that this is an important area which, when used well, prevents crisis and so prevents the need for admission to acute services.’

The Council of Ministers’ response adds: ’It is acknowledged that there has historically been a lack of communication between DHSC and DESC and that there is a lack of clearly defined pathways to services.

’However with the commencement of projects around the development of an autism pathway and service redesign around the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, it is confirmed that DESC will be working with DHSC in both of these areas.’

The committee’s report makes seven recommendations. Although none relates specifically to funding, next week’s debate is likely to lay down a marker for future budget expectations.

The recommendations are:

DHSC should review confidentiality protocols and ’disseminate clear guidance to staff’.

Tynwald will be asked to demand that ’every effort’ is made that patients’ records are retained and referred appropriately and patients and next of kin kept informed where appropriate and practical.

The department should make further provision to support carers.

Clear guidance be given to service users and families on how they can make a complaint.

The mental health service should review its training and give guidance to staff.

The DHSC should submit an annual report to Tynwald giving progress towards the goals of the mental health and wellbeing strategy, including a focus on waiting times.

Safeguards should be added to the laws on deprivation of liberty to ensure human rights are not breached.

The government is set to support all the recommendations, although it plans to table a technical amendment on staff training to ensure it specifies the relevant employees.