Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Mar 1993

Vol. 428 No. 3

Written Answers. - Health Services.

Ivor Callely

Question:

82 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that sufficient moneys have been made available to his Department for the delivery of health services, in particular long stay care beds, rehabilitation respite care and to develop policies as set out in the report The Years Ahead - A Policy for the Elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

This Government is committed to ensuring that elderly people receive the highest quality of health care available. The objectives of health policy, towards the elderly are set out in the report —The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly. They are to support the care of dependent elderly people at home for as long as possible and to ensure that when the elderly can no longer be cared for at home, that there are appropriate specialist and extended care facilities to meet their needs. The priorities for service development at present are to strengthen community care services for elderly persons and their carers in the home, to provide more specialist facilities in acute hospitals, to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of elderly mentally infirm, and to implement the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990.

Considerable progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations contained inThe Years Ahead. In recent years an additional £9 million was made available to the health boards to expand home nursing services, to provide more respite places, day care centres and day hospitals, to provide more departments of medicine for the elderly in general hospitals, to strengthen rehabilitation services and to develop services for those with dementia.

The progress achieved in developing health services for the elderly will be maintained by the new Government. Under the Programme for a Partnership Government we will be developing a health service of the highest quality, so that people, particularly the elderly, can be confident that they will be well looked after should they need medical care. Among the priority issues in health for the Government which are of direct benefit to the elderly are the expansion of facilities for hip replacement, cataract and by-pass surgery and the implementation this year of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990. I have already had discussions with nursing home interests and I have indicated my intention to proceed with the implementation of the Act by 1 May this year. A provision of £4 million has been made available this year for the phased implementation of the Act.