Hundreds of positions pledged for community-based mental health teams last year have still not been filled, latest figures show.The numbers come at a time when campaigners warn that psychiatric services are under heavy strain as a result of rising demand and staffing gaps. In December 2012, the Government announced that €35 million would be invested over the following year in appointing 477 staff to community mental health teams for adults, children, older persons and other services.Figures for the end of March 2014 show just over half – or 267 – of these promised posts have been filled, while a further 26 have agreed start-up dates.
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