Mental Welfare Society highlights key concerns and positive developments

The Gibraltar Mental Welfare Society (GMWS) has highlighted concerns over staff, safe detoxification procedures and the lack of a prison counsellor.

The society welcomed the publication of the sixth annual report by the Mental Health Board (MHB), describing it as a valuable tool in evaluating the current state of mental health services and in promoting continued progress.

In a statement responding to the report, the GMWS acknowledged the document’s detailed analysis.

The society said it hopes that a dedicated Mental Health Hub will be up and running within the next couple years.

“This Hub will deal with all aspects of the service,” the GMWS said.

“When this happens we hope that some of the concerns raised in the report will no longer be relevant, for example the fact that there is no appropriate office for the Mental Health Liaison Team to work from in St Bernard´s.”

“However, in the short term, this is a matter which needs to be addressed. The Board also advises that there should be an increase in personnel and that they should receive specialised training.”

The Mental Liaison Team received 912 referrals between January and October 2024, which the society said as reflects team’s importance within the mental health service.

Concerns highlighted in previous board reports were reiterated, including the ongoing shortage of Registered Mental Health Nurses.

While the University of Gibraltar is training new staff, the GMWS said that current shortages continue to impact service delivery.

The lack of clerical support and junior posts was also identified as a continuing issue, with the GMWS noting that senior staff are frequently burdened with administrative duties that take time away from direct engagement with service users.

Serious concerns were raised regarding the treatment of addiction, specifically the use of Ocean Views for detoxification.

The GMWS echoed the Board’s call for the Gibraltar Health Authority to implement a safer and more appropriate solution.

“This concern is echoed by staff and other professionals in the service,” the society said.

“The GHA is urged to come up with an alternative solution.”

The report also stressed the need to formalise the roles of the Activity Coordinator and Housing Outreach at Ocean Views and the society said by formal job descriptions, operational policies, and succession plans need to be introduced to ensure these roles are “treated with the seriousness they deserve”.

Additional issues flagged by the GMWS included the lack of a Code of Practice under Section 106 of the Mental Health Act 2016, the need to transition note taking to an electronic system, and what it described as a “critical lack of data” within the service.

The GMWS stressed the importance of establishing a robust data system to identify and address underlying issues proactively.

The society said it was disappointed that no therapeutic programme has been introduced in prison since the retirement of the prison counsellor four years ago.

Other concerns included the absence of a smoking cessation programme in mental health facilities and the importance of adopting a holistic approach to mental and general healthcare.

Despite these challenges, the GMWS noted several positive developments highlighted in the report.

“Altogether, although the report does refer to numerous areas which still need much improvement, it seems that the general trend is towards offering a much better service,” the society said.

These included improvements in the monitoring of Clozapine and Lithium, increased involvement of occupational therapists, enhanced coordination with the Care Agency, and the Gibraltar Young Minds initiative and ASD pathways.

“The GMWS is very pleased to see that the Report advocates for more beds for those who need continuous support, such as exists in Sandpits and Kent House at the moment,” the Society said.

“The Board believes, as does the GMWS, that the initial investment this would require would be be well worth it in the long term.”

“In the same way that the Gibraltarian community has embraced the construction of flats adapted to accommodate the elderly, so should there be different models of housing to suit those living with serious, chronic mental health conditions,” the GMWS said.

The GMWS said it believes the report is a useful took is assessing how the local mental health service is doing.

“It is a very valuable document for anybody interested in this aspect of our health service,” the GMWS said.