In recent months there have been a number of concerns raised about the services available to residents suffering from mental ill health, including their incarceration in Northward Prison, as well as the fact that many are left to their own devices and often seen loitering on the streets along Seven Mile Beach.

At a recent business forum, the Chief Officer at the Ministry of Health Services, Diane Montoya, stated that mental health services were a primary issue. The Health Ministry is now initiating a comprehensive review of the existing mental health services on offer in this country to determine where to put its resources.

The Director of Public Health, Dr Kiran Kumar, said that in order to properly address the issues of mental health in a holistic manner the Ministry will be contracting an industry consultant.

"We are seeking the assistance from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to provide a consultant with experience in mental health services to work with our stakeholders in Cayman," said Dr Kumar. "The consultant will also make recommendations for the way forward."

Some of the complex issues in providing care to the mentally ill came up in Legislative Assembly recently. The Minister of Health Services, Hon Anthony Eden, discussed the care of mentally ill patients locally and overseas.

Mr Eden explained there were seven patients that require high level of institutional care in facilities in Jamaica that is not available here. He acknowledged that it is not an ideal situation as these patients are not close to their families. In addition, the costs for providing that care in the last five years came to a total of US$875,000.

There are also mentally ill patients who have committed criminal offences and have fallen through the cracks and in the process they have found themselves incarcerated at Northward Prison, which has no mental health wing, as well as at local police stations. Mr Eden acknowledged that Northward Prison is not the best place for people who are mentally ill.

During that Legislative Assembly session, Opposition member, Rolston Anglin, also expressed concerns that mentally ill people were loitering in tourist areas.

"There are a number of these patients travelling the Seven Mile Beach area among our tourists. That situation is an accident waiting to happen," noted Mr Anglin.

Dr Kumar said that a working group is in the process of being formed to determine the scope of the project. He stated the group will include psychiatrist, Dr Mark Lockhart, HSA Medical Director, Dr Tamer Tadros, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gerald Smith,
representatives from the Social Services, Counselling Services Department and the Ministry of Health Services.

Dr Kumar could not give a timeline to firm up the scope of the consultancy project, but he expected to finalise the terms and conditions within the next month.

He added the way forward will depend on the needs and the capacity to meet them.

There are many countries that grapple with issues dealing with mentally ill patients that require various levels of help, he noted.

Many countries are moving away from institutional care and placing those suffering from mental illness in specialists' residential facilities so that they are more integrated within their local community.

shurna@caymannetnews.com