Vol. 468 No. 4
227 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the progress, if any, which has been made in each health board towards implementing the recommendation of the Needs and Abilities report concerning the establishment of a comprehensive database; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15891/96]
A mental handicap database has been established at regional level in each health board area as recommended by the report of the Review Group on Mental Handicap Services, "Needs and Abilities". In addition, a national mental handicap database has been established in my Department based on the eight regional databases.
The database will provide my Department with a more accurate estimate of both current and future service requirements. A researcher was recruited to the health research board in late 1995 to work on validation and processing of the information from the various health board regions. Details of the initial information from the database were recently published. I will forward a copy of the article to the Deputy under separate cover.
As the Deputy is aware, it is my intention, with my colleague, the Minister, to prepare a five year service development plan for the services to persons with a mental handicap to meet the needs identified by the database. I expect the plan to be ready later this year at which time the database will also be launched.
