College calls for inclusion of severe mental illness in CDM programme

The Irish College of GPs has reiterated its call for the inclusion of severe mental illness in the chronic disease management (CDM) programme. Its pre-Budget submission also advocates for the creation of a national GP clinical lead for integrated healthcare.

The submission, published on 2 September, has called for sustained investment in general practice to successfully deliver on Sláintecare and strengthen patient safety and community care.

It set out five “Budget priorities” for general practice, encompassing integrated and connected care; delivering GP workforce needs; providing more care with multidisciplinary GP teams; supporting a modern built GP infrastructure; and the delivery of a health system “driven by data”.

The submission outlined that implementing the above priorities would result in several benefits, including a reduction in unscheduled emergency department attendances and hospital admissions, and a stronger CDM service to patients.

It called on Government to fund a “chronic disease pathway for patients with severe mental illness, co-designed with the HSE and College of Psychiatrists of Ireland”. The College and the College of Psychiatrists jointly advocated for the inclusion of mental illness in the CDM programme during 2025/26.

“People living with severe mental illness experience markedly poorer physical health and die, on average, 10–20 years earlier than the general population,” according to the submission.

“Most of these premature deaths are attributable to preventable physical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, and cancer. Addressing this requires structured, integrated primary and secondary care not further fragmentation.”

A dedicated fund to supply modern, purpose-built GP infrastructure formed another part of the submission.

The College advocated for a national premises development fund, State-backed infrastructure models, practice expansion grants, and a rural infrastructure programme to deliver physical infrastructure to treat patients and support an expanding GP workforce.