Conor D McGuinness on Jigsaw rollout in Waterford and recruitment
Conor D McGuinness welcomed the announcement that the Jigsaw service will be rolled out in Waterford and commended Jigsaw and local advocates for securing the service in the south-east. He asked detailed questions about staffing numbers, engagement with local mental health groups and the local CAM service.
Opening remarks
Conor D McGuinness described the arrival of Jigsaw in Waterford as "very welcome news" and commended Jigsaw and community advocates for bringing the service to the south-east, a region he said had been without a Jigsaw presence for a long time.
Questions on recruitment
He asked what the total complement will be when the service is stood up and when recruitment will begin. The ministerial reply in the record said recruitment plans are in train, that there are expressions of interest from within the existing network, and that a recruitment campaign will begin once there is greater clarity on premises and timelines.
Engagement with local services
McGuinness asked what engagement has taken place with existing mental health providers and advocacy organisations, naming West Waterford Mental Health Awareness and Reassure, and asked about contact with the local CAM service. The record states outreach has been made to the local HSE contact and that engagement with other services and advocacy groups is planned in advance of opening.
Service coverage in the south-east
The transcript records that the planned Jigsaw team is intended to cover Waterford and also South Wexford and South Kilkenny, filling a long-standing gap in the Jigsaw footprint in the south-east.
Next steps and timeline
The exchanges note that recruitment will be pressed ahead with once there is clarity on premises and line of sight on timelines, and that early referrals and troubleshooting arrangements with local services will be important from the instant the service stands up.
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It's very welcome news that Jigsaw service will finally be rolled out in Waterford, and I want to commend Jigsaw for all that you've done, and indeed all who have advocated for that service coming to the south-east. The fact that the south-east as a region was left without such a service for a long time, so it's very good. As recruitment has begun, what will the total complement be when the service is stood up? What engagement has taken place with existing mental health service providers and advocacy organisations? I'm thinking of West Waterford Mental Health Awareness and Reassure, and there are others in and around Waterford and the wider south-east. What engagement has taken place, and what engagement has taken place with the local CAM service? From the instant the service has stood up, there will be that good relationship in terms of referrals, in terms of maybe troubleshooting issues that might occur in individual cases. We've got plans in train in terms of recruitment of the team. We have some expressions of interest from within our existing network, people who are interested in a lateral move to a new service in Waterford, which will be amazing because that will, I suppose, people who already have experience working within Jigsaw. So I think the plan is, as soon as we have a little more clarity on our line of sight, on timeline around the premises, we're ready to press go with the recruitment campaign. And hopeful, as you say, as a population centre, that we'll be successful in recruiting a full team that will cover Waterford and, as we've said, also South Wexford and South Kilkenny. So it will give us that footprint in the south-east that, as you've pointed out, has been long a gap in the Jigsaw map, so to speak. In terms of the engagement with the other services, again, that's very much the plan, that in advance of the doors opening on that service, and so we've reached out to the local HSE contact.
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