Debate contribution: Mental Health Data

Debate contribution by Mr Alan Chambers on 16 February 2026.

MLA: Mr Alan Chambers
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 16 February 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Mental Health Data
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5392002

Text

I welcome the chance to contribute to the debate. The motion goes to the heart of how we deliver safe, accountable and effective mental health services. No one in the House doubts the scale of need across mental health, addiction and suicide prevention services. In every constituency, families rely on those services in their most vulnerable moments. If we are to meet that need responsibly, decisions must be grounded in clear and consistent evidence. The motion addresses a simple but entirely reasonable point, which is that we cannot build a modern mental health system on incomplete or inconsistent information. Historically, data across our trusts has developed in a fragmented way. Different systems and reporting structures have made it quite difficult to assemble a regional picture of demand and of what exactly is being delivered on the ground. That has not come about through neglect. Rather, it reflects a system that has evolved over many years without the benefit of unified digital infrastructure. An entirely reasonable complaint has often been made that, for a place as small as Northern Ireland, the structure and delivery of healthcare has been overcomplicated. Having five trusts, each working in a similar way but with some important and distinct differences, has resulted in a pretty uneven picture of mental health data. Gaps in information, be they around bed availability, waiting times, referral pathways or performance against targets, make strategic planning more difficult. We, not only as MLAs but as citizens and potential service users, need to know how long services take to access, how resources are being used and whether outcomes are improving. At the same time, we must be realistic. Creating a "single, standardised" system is not as simple as merging a couple of spreadsheets, or, even worse, publishing figures prematurely or publishing something that may not be entirely correct. Doing that would risk undermining trust instead of strengthening it. Having standardised data across all trusts, regularly reported and clearly explained, will support better workforce planning, earlier intervention and a more effective targeting of resources. The motion ultimately calls for something that is sensible and reasonable: a coherent, region-wide approach to mental health data that underpins evidence-based decision-making and strengthens accountability. If we get it right, the benefits will extend beyond statistics. Accurate data will enable better planning, clearer oversight and public debate that is more informed. Most importantly, accurate data will support a system that responds more effectively to those who depend on it. Our goal must not be better reports for their own sake but, rather, better outcomes for people. That is why I am happy to support the motion. Reliable, standardised and transparent data is hugely important to our moving forward.

449 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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