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The Éirim Mná Community Engagement Project Report - a piece of research focusing on the Mental Health needs of Irish Women in Birmingham - was launched in October 2008 read report

In his foreword, Chris Munday, Executive Director - Care & Support Midland Heart, writes: "The Midland Heart team of Community Researchers are to be congratulated on the Éirim Mná Report, which focuses on the mental health needs of Irish Women in Birmingham.

The Community Researchers, before even knowing the outcomes of this research decided
on the name Éirim Mná, which means to raise women's awareness, inclination, tendency,
aptitude, talent and intelligence.

This piece of research is so poignant as there is very little information in terms of
data/statistics about the mental health needs of Irish Women in Britain, data which, is vital
for the shaping and development of culturally appropriate and responsive services (in
accordance with the Delivering Race Equality Action Plan).

The report states that Irish Women requested information, education, understanding, and
an awareness of mental health issues, and of the mental health services that are available
to them.

The recommendations contained in this report are particularly welcome, when considering
the high numbers of Irish Women reporting that they have suffered with a mental health
issue, and equally high numbers stating they had not accessed help for those issues, and
comparing these facts against the low number of women actually recognising their
symptoms as signs of mental ill health.

This report goes a long way towards providing vital information about and for Irish Women.
It will act as an important springboard for the development of future policy/strategy based
on solutions, early interventions and appropriate pathways, whilst promoting independence
in the community.

Midland Heart acknowledges the challenge, which is outlined in this report, namely the
development of an interdisciplinary approach to improving services for the Irish
Community, and calls for the ongoing support and commitment of the Statutory, and
Community and Voluntary Sectors to work in partnership with Midland Heart to achieve
these aims.

I wish to offer Midland Heart's commitment in making sure this report is disseminated as
widely as possible, and our ongoing commitment to playing our part in fulfilling the
recommendations of this report. It deserves to be read by as many people as possible and
especially by Irish Women who may bear the brunt of mental health issues both as
patients and as carers in the future.

On behalf of Midland Heart I wish to extend sincere thanks and gratitude to all of those
individuals who have shared their stories, and all of the individuals representing their
organisations who willingly gave their time and support to ensure this project was a
success. Special thanks goes to the Irish Community in Birmingham, CSIP/NIMHE and
UCLAN as without them none of this work would have been possible."

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