OMAGH TRAUMA CENTRE'S 1.5M FUNDING WELCOMED
Omagh Trauma Centre's �1.5m funding welcomed
BY NIGEL MCDONAGH
IN the wake of the disturbing revelations contained in the leakage of the Police Ombudman's controversial report on the Omagh bombing, the news that �1.5 million will be allocated for the development of an important new Trauma Centre in Omagh has been broadly welcomed.
On Tuesday the Minister for Victims Des Browne announced that �1.5 million will be allocated over three years for the development of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
This body was established recently to ensure that the lessons from the work done in the aftermath of the 1998 atrocity is shared and made available to all who have suffered and who continue to suffer as a result of the violence of the Troubles.
The funding will enable the Centre to develop a range of treatment centres advance education and learning about the assessment and treatment of trauma and promote and take forward research into the most effective ways of providing support for those affected by violence.
The Centre will be based in Omagh but will establish outreach and satellite facilities in other parts of the North and will incorporate an international dimension.
Mr Browne said that the funding allocation will provide sustainability to the victims community and will help ensure that the lessons from the work done in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing will be used to address the human consequences of the ongoing suffering arising from the Troubles.
"This latest allocation of funding recognises the need to carry this work forward and demonstrates the Government's commitment to recognise and respond to the needs of victims and survivors.
"It also allows us to build upon the expertise that has been developed in the care and treatment of trauma and to ensure that future models of care are based on evidence based best practice," he said.
The Centre will provide direct therapeutic services, carry out research into the impact of traumatic events and effective treatments and undertake education and training programmes for others interested in learning about trauma and its treatment.
It will also develop innovative treatments and ideas for addressing trauma and associated problems and it is expected that a range of treatment services, research and training will start coming on stream early next year. Professor Fabian Monds, who chairs the Trust that is developing the Centre outlined that the funding would enable the Centre to take forward consolidate and disseminate the important lessons that had been learned by health and social services in addressing the needs of those affected by the Omagh bombing.
"The new Centre will fill an important gap in the range of services available to those who have been traumatised by the Troubles and will build upon the significant work undertaken in the wake of the Omagh bombing by Sperrin Lakeland Trust.
"The most valuable lessons learned in providing treatments for trauma need to be shared with others working in this field," he said.
Prof. Monds added that the Centre for Trauma and Transformation would develop its programmes over the next few months and expressed appreciation for the encouragement of the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, Omagh District Council and the Omagh Memorial Group and the Omagh Fund in the development of its vision.
The Centre for Trauma and Transformation also proposes to develop a residential treatment centre for the specialist treatment of people with complex trauma in due course.
One of its Trustees, Roy McClelland, Professor of Psychiatry at Queen's University Belfast, said that the new Centre would fill a significant gap in the range of services available to people in Northern Ireland who have had traumatic reactions to their experience of violence. David Bolton, Director of Community Care with the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, which led the team that undertook much of the innovative work in Omagh, welcomed the intentions to build upon the work undertaken in the wake of the bombing.
"Our experience shows that people who have been living with high levels of distress, often over a long period of time, can be greatly helped by the therapeutic approaches used in Omagh.
"Expanding the availability of such services and helping others to provide them will make a real contribution to addressing the long term personal and community implications of the Troubles," said Mr Bolton.
BY NIGEL MCDONAGH
IN the wake of the disturbing revelations contained in the leakage of the Police Ombudman's controversial report on the Omagh bombing, the news that �1.5 million will be allocated for the development of an important new Trauma Centre in Omagh has been broadly welcomed.
On Tuesday the Minister for Victims Des Browne announced that �1.5 million will be allocated over three years for the development of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
This body was established recently to ensure that the lessons from the work done in the aftermath of the 1998 atrocity is shared and made available to all who have suffered and who continue to suffer as a result of the violence of the Troubles.
The funding will enable the Centre to develop a range of treatment centres advance education and learning about the assessment and treatment of trauma and promote and take forward research into the most effective ways of providing support for those affected by violence.
The Centre will be based in Omagh but will establish outreach and satellite facilities in other parts of the North and will incorporate an international dimension.
Mr Browne said that the funding allocation will provide sustainability to the victims community and will help ensure that the lessons from the work done in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing will be used to address the human consequences of the ongoing suffering arising from the Troubles.
"This latest allocation of funding recognises the need to carry this work forward and demonstrates the Government's commitment to recognise and respond to the needs of victims and survivors.
"It also allows us to build upon the expertise that has been developed in the care and treatment of trauma and to ensure that future models of care are based on evidence based best practice," he said.
The Centre will provide direct therapeutic services, carry out research into the impact of traumatic events and effective treatments and undertake education and training programmes for others interested in learning about trauma and its treatment.
It will also develop innovative treatments and ideas for addressing trauma and associated problems and it is expected that a range of treatment services, research and training will start coming on stream early next year. Professor Fabian Monds, who chairs the Trust that is developing the Centre outlined that the funding would enable the Centre to take forward consolidate and disseminate the important lessons that had been learned by health and social services in addressing the needs of those affected by the Omagh bombing.
"The new Centre will fill an important gap in the range of services available to those who have been traumatised by the Troubles and will build upon the significant work undertaken in the wake of the Omagh bombing by Sperrin Lakeland Trust.
"The most valuable lessons learned in providing treatments for trauma need to be shared with others working in this field," he said.
Prof. Monds added that the Centre for Trauma and Transformation would develop its programmes over the next few months and expressed appreciation for the encouragement of the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, Omagh District Council and the Omagh Memorial Group and the Omagh Fund in the development of its vision.
The Centre for Trauma and Transformation also proposes to develop a residential treatment centre for the specialist treatment of people with complex trauma in due course.
One of its Trustees, Roy McClelland, Professor of Psychiatry at Queen's University Belfast, said that the new Centre would fill a significant gap in the range of services available to people in Northern Ireland who have had traumatic reactions to their experience of violence. David Bolton, Director of Community Care with the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, which led the team that undertook much of the innovative work in Omagh, welcomed the intentions to build upon the work undertaken in the wake of the bombing.
"Our experience shows that people who have been living with high levels of distress, often over a long period of time, can be greatly helped by the therapeutic approaches used in Omagh.
"Expanding the availability of such services and helping others to provide them will make a real contribution to addressing the long term personal and community implications of the Troubles," said Mr Bolton.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0869
Published Date: 13-Dec-01
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