Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 2

Written Answers. - Hospice Movement Funding.

Séamus Hughes

Question:

89 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health the funding made available to each hospice movement since 1990 for current and capital purposes; the source of this funding; and whether any hospices have received a commitment to ongoing funding for future years. [16882/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I am aware of the very important contribution of the hospice movement in the provision of in-patient and home care for the terminally ill. The health strategy document, Shaping a Healthier Future, acknowledges the important role palliative care services play in improving the quality of life of terminally ill patients and it is my intention to promote the continued development of such services, making use, where possible, of existing health facilities.

A policy statement on cancer services is currently in preparation in my Department and it will include a review of the role played by the hospice-palliative care services throughout the country in respect of cancer patients and set out recommendations for its future development. When I have the proposals of the review group to hand, I will be in a position to decide on priority areas for development within the palliative care sector as a whole.

In addition to the information provided below, the following table sets out grant aided funding from the Department of Health and the health boards for hospice services in the years 1990 to 1995.

Direct Funding from Health Boards.

The following hospice services are partly funded by the health boards concerned:

Eastern Health Board

Drogheda Memorial Hospital/ Welfare Home (4-bedded unit).

Wicklow Home Care Service.

Southern Health Board

Marymount Hospice.

North Eastern Health Board.

Meath Community Care Area— Three palliative care nurses.

Louth Community Care Area—Two palliative care nurses.

Cavan/Monaghan Care Area—Two palliative care nurses.

Western Health Board

Mayo/Roscommon Home Care—One wholetime equivalent palliative care nurse is funded by WHB together with travel and administrative expenses of services.

North Western Health Board

County Donegal—home care nurse.

Midland Health Board

County Laois——home care services

County Offaly—home care services.

Hospice Funding 1990-1995

	Department of Health	Health Board	Total
Revenue	Capital	National Lottery	Revenue	Capital	National Lottery
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
Eastern Health Board
Our Lady's Hospice, Harolds Cross	28.409	0.212	—	—	—	—	28.621
St. Francis Hospice, Raheny	—	—	0.364	0.300	—	0.010	0.674
Midland Health Board
Laois Hospice Foundation	—	—	0.025	0.048	—	—	0.073
Offaly Hospice				0.082			0.082
Co. Longford Hospice Movement				0.023		0.005	0.028
Mid-Western Health Board
Milford Hospice	—	—	0.100	3.197	—	—	3.297
North Eastern Health Board
Monaghan Hospice Home Care	—	—	0.030	—	—	—	0.030
North Western Health Board
North West Hospice	—	—	0.070	0.080	—	0.050	0.200
Donegal/Foyle Hospice	—	—	—	0.063	—	0.020	0.083
South Eastern Health Board
Carlow Kilkenny			0.010				0.010
South Tipperary
Hospice	—	—	0.030	—	—	—	0.030
Waterford			0.025				0.025
Wexford	—	—	0.020				0.020
Western Health Board
Galway Hospice	—	—	0.030	—	—	0.005	0.035