Written Answers. - Appointment of Consultants.
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Question:
145
Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn
asked the
Minister for Health
the number of consultancies currently being undertaken by or on behalf of his Department; the task forces, if any, he has established; the reviews, if any, that are under way or contemplated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3787/96]
, Limerick East): The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
Consultancies
Consultancy firms are currently engaged in the following areas:
—the examination of the existing arrangements for providing medical indemnity cover for doctors in public hospitals and to advise on possible alternative arrangements;
—two nursing study projects;
—financial management system installation;
—two projects in relation to the decentralisation of the General Register Office to Roscommon;
—information technology communications-telecommunications within the health services;
—National Healthy Eating Week and other nutritional initiatives in 1996;
—modelling of day case activity in acute hospitals;
—a clinical director, child and adolescent psychiatric services, Eastern Health Board is employed in a part-time consultancy capacity in my Department.
Reviews
Reviews are under way in relation to the following:
—Nurses Act, 1985;
—Materials management advisory group;
—public health nursing;
—the effects of the indicative drug target scheme on the quality of care for patients in the GMS scheme;
—expert review group on Meningitis;
—the care of the disturbed mentally ill;
—the role of the mental handicap nurse;
—the implementation of the health strategy in relation to services to people with a mental handicap;
—services for people with physical and sensory disabilities;
—a steering group on technical screening for the new national primary childhood immunisation programme.
Task Force
The National Task Force on Suicide.
Reviews planned
Reviews are planned in relation to:
—evaluation of the pilot-registration programme which commenced in the Mid-Western Health Board in 1994;
—health agencies management development needs and how they might be met;
—implementation and operation of proposed health insurance regulations.
