asked the Minister for Health the number of directors of community care employed in each of the health boards and their qualifications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Community Care Directors.
4.
The number of directors of community care employed in each of the health boards is as follows: Eastern Health Board, 10; Midland Health Board, 2; Mid Western Health Board, 3; North Eastern Health Board, 3; North Western Health Board, 2; South Eastern Health Board, 4; Southern Health Board, 5; Western Health Board, 3.
In relation to qualifications, I assume that the Deputy requires information on the professional qualifications for the post rather than the individual qualifications of each of the directors.
In addition to being registered medical practitioners with at least seven years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since full registration, directors of community care are required to:—
(a) possess a recognised degree or diploma in public health; or be a member of the Faculty of Community Medicine of one of the Royal Colleges of Physicians; or possess a qualification acceptable as being equivalent to one of these; (b) have had adequate practical experience in the administration of health services; (c) possess a high standard of (i) professional attainment in relation to health services and (ii) administrative capacity; and, (d) possess the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the post.
To summarise, in effect what the Minister is saying is that all directors of community care are medical practitioners. Is the Minister aware that there is considerable resentment over that on the part of social workers who are part of the community care team, in particular having regard to the fact that it is the directors of community care who make the ultimate decision as to whether a child at risk of non-accidental injury should be taken into care? Could the Minister indicate whether he intends, in the context of the general review, to look at the possibility of appointing social workers as the final decision-makers in determining whether children at risk of non-accidental injury should be taken into care or appointing social workers to posts similar to these of directors of community care vis-à-vis childern's services?
This matter is being considered within the context of the report on the review which is now being circulated to the health boards.
Would the Minister acknowledge that, in making decisions as to whether the children should or should not be taken into care, personnel require specialist training and that directors of community care who are at present charged with that responsibility under his Department's guidelines receive no specialist training in this area? Pending the Minister completing his review, would he consider providing specialist training for all directors of community care concerned and dealing directly with the matter of non-accidental injury to children and concerned with making judgments as to whether the children should or should not be taken into care?
I shall have that matter considered in the context of the review.