Deirdre Clune
Question:198 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will re-open immunisation clinics on a limited basis in some areas where there has been a low uptake of the immunisation scheme. [17753/97]
Written Answers. - Immunisation Programme.
Deirdre Clune
Question:199 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of his Department's meeting with the Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Irish Medical Organisation regarding the non-participation of public health nurses in the immunisation scheme. [17754/97]
Deirdre Clune
Question:200 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, his Department will take on the reported low uptake within the general practitioner immunisation scheme to address the grievances of the public health nurses who have a pivotal role to play in infant immunisation and who are currently refusing to take part in the scheme. [17755/97]
Deirdre Clune
Question:201 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department's attention has been drawn to the reported drop of 65 per cent in some areas of immunisation uptake since the scheme started in January 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17756/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 198, 199, 200 and 201 together.
My Department is in discussion with the Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Irish Medical Organisation concerning the operation of the primary childhood immunisation programme. I recognise that all of the parties concerned share the objective of achieving the programme's target of an uptake level of 95 per cent among the child population. I am confident that a solution to the difficulties currently being experiened will soon be reached and the uptake targets achieved. Up to the end of 1995, the immunisation scheme was operated by a combination of public health clinics and general practitioners acting independently. It was difficult, therefore, to obtain accurate vaccination uptake figures. However, since the beginning of 1996, the immunisation programme has been delivered by general practitioners acting under contract to health boards. The information available to my Department does not support the Deputy's contention that there has been a fall in the uptake of immunisation since the new programme was introduced.
Under the terms of the contract between health boards and general practitioners for the delivery of the primary childhood immunisation programme, health boards may make special arrangements where the uptake of immunisation among particular groups or in geographical areas is unacceptably low. This could include the holding of special clinics if the health board deemed such a measure appropriate.