Leo Glavine rejects call for mental health system inquiry

Leo Glavine is rejecting a call by the official opposition to launch an inquiry into Nova Scotia's mental health system.

The health minister isalso rejecting the claim it is "in crisis."

"There's always been challenging areas but I don't see a crisis. I certainly saw a crisis when we had 900 people on a wait list for assessment at the IWK. We've made dramatic improvements and that's what we have to look at," Glavine said Wednesday.

Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie made the characterization Wednesday at Province House, in calling for a public inquiry.

"We must act now in order to redesign our broken mental health system to meet the needs of today's Nova Scotia," he said.

"A public inquiry can undertake an honest, thorough and independent assessment of the mental health system. I urge the premier to allow those that lead the inquiry to determine their own terms of reference so that NovaScotianscan be assured the outcome will be open, honest, transparent and fully independent."

'I've had nothing but letdowns'

Lianne Griffin was at Province House on Wednesdayto advocate on behalf of her brother, who'snot getting the treatment she believes he needs.

Matthew Mackinnon has schizophrenia and has been diagnosed as bipolar.

Griffin says her family is often left to fend for itself when her brother needs medical help.

"I've had nothing but letdowns," she said.

"My brother has been hung up on by the mental health crisis line. The mental health crisis members that come to see you in the hospital don't usually have much to say. If you're even lucky enough to see a psychiatrist, when you go into the hospital to see if you can get someone admitted because they're in an unstable or manic state, it doesn't often happen."

Baillie says there are many more examples like this one that point to the need for an overhaul of the system.

But before that happens, mental health services need a thorough review.

"To me the time is now to give a kick-start to the efforts to redesign our mental health system."

Review could take 18 months

He estimates it could take up to 18 months to conduct the review.

Stephen Ayer, the executive director of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia, thinks an inquiry is a good idea as long as whatever recommendations come from it are acted upon.

"Yes it would be great work, I'm sure they would have great people involved," he said. "But at the end of the day when the recommendations come out are they going to be actioned on? Is there going to be change? Is something going to happen?"

Shaleen Jones, coordinator of Eating Disorders Nova Scotia, shares those concerns.

"I'm not totally convinced," she said. "I need to find out more about how this inquiry will lead to better outcomes."

She's also worried groups such as hers would have to shift focus and spend valuable time and energy on this inquiry rather than helping those who need help.

"Metal health funding is so low to begin with and we have spend significant resources on exploring the issue. We really need action."