Speech by: Hon Howard Quayle MHK, Chief Minister
Date delivered: 11 October 2017
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Good afternoon ladies and gentleman and may I add to the Minister’s warm welcome.
The success in bringing about this new facility is one of the highlights from my first term of office as an MHK and from my time as Minister for Health and Social Care.
I was insistent when becoming Minister that we doubled efforts to support the Mental Health Service and begin a programme of work to transform care. Manannan Court is one of the fruits of that labour, but it is not something I can take credit for. It is the result of a real team effort from patients, carers, professionals, managers and politicians, and I am proud to have played my part.
I am, therefore, truly honoured and touched to have been invited to perform the official opening of this marvellous building.
There has been a pressing need for a new mental health inpatient facility for some time. Following on from a compelling business case, I did not hesitate in bringing a motion before Tynwald in May 2015 for Manannan Court, which was unanimously approved by Members.
And now, here we are.
I am sure that, to many of us, Manannan Court’s modernity is all the more striking, as we stand so close to the site of the former Ballamona Hospital.
It can be all too easy to forget the seismic shift in our understanding of mental illness, its perception by society, and the treatment options available during the almost 150 year history of mental healthcare on this estate.
This spans from the opening of the Island’s Lunatic Asylum 1868, to its eventual closure – by then of course renamed Ballamona Hospital – in the 1990s, which heralded a real transformation in mental healthcare, enabling many patients to transition to community-based, rather than institutional-based care.
The story does not begin and end with Ballamona, however. In 1991 Grianagh Court – situated just a few metres away from us – was constructed as an inpatient facility for older people with dementia. Thirteen years later, in 2004, it was refurbished and repurposed with an expanded role, to serve as the Island’s acute inpatient unit for mental health.
Despite that investment at the start of this century, within less than a decade it was evident just how quickly the standards of care were continuing to evolve and progress. It was apparent that the facility was falling behind in meeting UK standards for inpatient mental health units.
In addition, with a significant growth in the Island’s population, Grianagh Court was no longer large enough to meet our community’s needs, with occupancy often at 100% instead of the 85% recommended by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
In Manannan Court, we now have a facility that improves on its predecessor in many ways:
- Almost a third more capacity, increasing the number of beds from 20 to 26
- A number of suites to meet the differing needs of inpatient groups
- The ability to flex beds between different suites, depending on demand at any given time
- Four dedicated entrances for the public, staff, ambulance and those in need of a place of safety
- A bright, modern and inviting environment for patients, staff and visitors
- En-suite facilities for all patients
- Access to outdoor spaces and fresh air with a choice of gardens
- The Pitstop Café, which is open to all
- And not least, high-specification building materials, equipment and furnishings, all purpose-designed to reduce the risk of harm to patients and staff – from sealed and weighted furniture, to anti-barricade doors and anti-ligature fittings
Many people’s time, hard work and effort has gone in to making Manannan Court what you see before you today and I extend my thanks on behalf of the people of the Isle of Man to each and every one of them:
- All of the contractors
- The DHSC’s former Director of Estates – Mike Harrington
- Key members of the team in the Mental Health Service – Paul Hurst, Mike Dunn and Elaine Fitton
- Local artists Julia Ashby Smyth and Nicola Dixon
- The Service Users Network
- The Ballamona Association for Mental Health for its support and the funding of artwork
- And of course Angela Murray, Director of the Mental Health Service
I would also like to pay tribute to Michael Coleman MLC, whose political leadership as the Member with responsibility for mental health services during his time with the Department was instrumental in providing the service’s management team with the political support it needed to successfully drive this project forward.
The bricks and mortar surrounding us today, no matter how splendid, can take us only so far. This building is not a magic bullet. It is one of a series of cogs in a bigger machine as we drive forward improvements in mental health care: from investment in CAMHS such as its expansion to cover 17 and 18 year olds; and a new 24/7 wrap-around; to the refurbishment of Brunswick Gardens – to name just a few other examples.
We have taken big strides to improve, but we must not be distracted by how far we have come, instead focussing on how far there remains to go.
Mental health is firmly on the agenda and, as Chief Minister, I intend for it to stay that way. We continue the work to raise awareness, improve care and challenge stigma.
Society can be accused of still being all too quick to sweep mental health issues under the carpet, but the fact remains that as many as one in three of us can experience a mental health problem during our lifetime.
The Island’s Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Wellbeing – the first ever – is now well on its way to being realised. Indeed, Manannan Court itself plays a vital role in making that strategic plan, and its stepped model of care, a reality.
The plan is tightly aligned with the DHSC’s overall strategy and both feed in to the Programme for Government of the current Administration I lead as Chief Minister.
There is a clear path set out for the modernisation of mental health care in the Isle of Man.
Those of you who know me, will recall my fondness for Latin proverbs and one of my favourites is apt: Qui non proficit, deficit.
Ultimately, success rests with the professionalism and compassion of every individual we entrust to provide care for those with mental ill-health. And it is those individuals to whom we must all pay tribute as we dedicate this facility to their ongoing work, which I know can be some of the most challenging and difficult in the field of health and social care.
And so, with that in mind, it gives me great pleasure to declare Manannan Court officially open.
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An accompanying news release is available.
Please note: these are speaking notes and may differ from the speech as delivered.
