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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 2

Written Answers - Departmental Bodies.

David Stanton

Question:

261 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the title, role and composition of all task forces, review groups, advisory bodies and any other agencies operating under the aegis of his Department; the date of establishment of each body; and the reports, if any, published by each group in the past 12 months. [24883/98]

The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Review group on waiting list initiative

A review group on the waiting list initiative was established on 9 April 1998 to examine the current waiting list initiative, WLI, for public in-patients and to make recommendations on how best to maximise its effectiveness. I have received a report from the group and the proposals will shortly be submitted to Government.

National Forum on Cancer

The forum's terms of reference are: progress in the implementation of the national cancer strategy; the co-ordination of cancer services at supra-regional and national level best practices in cancer prevention, treatment and care; the development and implementation of protocols for the treatment and care of cancer patients; the evaluation of the effectiveness and quality of cancer services and the co-ordination of research into cancer, in conjunction with the Health Research Board.

The forum reports annually to me on the current situation on cancer services.

The National Ambulance Advisory Council

The review group on the ambulance service recommended that the national ambulance advisory council, NAAC, be established with the overall objective of ensuring that uniform standards of service operate throughout the country and that the development of the ambulance service keeps pace with good international practice. The council was established on 26 July 1994 for a three year period to advise the Minister for Health and Children on general ambulance and pre-hospital care issues and in particular; to make recommendations on standards for pre-hospital care; to make recommendations on standard operational procedures and protocols for the ambulance service; to advise on assessment and approval of training courses and arrangements for the award of diplomas and certificates; to evaluate public and private ambulance services in the context of the standards recommended by the council; to report annually on the ambulance service, and to undertake research on developments in the ambulance service especially in regard to emergency technology.
The NAAC was re-appointed on 4 February 1998 for a period expiring on 31 December 1998. I have made the re-appointments to allow a review of the structure and functions of the council to be completed in time for the appointment of the council at the beginning of 1999.
A report on activities 1995-97 was published in the past 12 months.
The Cardiovascular Health Strategy Group
The group will advise on initiatives which can be taken to improve cardiovascular health through health promotion and public education. It will also examine and evaluate the organisation of current services and ongoing research into the causes of and treatment methods of cardiovascular disease. The evaluations to cover all aspects of cardiovascular health including prevention of disease, medical and surgical facilities and rehabilitation services. A report is due by the end of 1998.
Group looking into the establishment of a heart/lung transplant unit in Ireland
The group is not committed to publishing a report.
Medical Genetics Services in Ireland
Professor Peter Harper of the University of Cardiff was commissioned in 1997 to carry out a review of developments of medical genetics services in Ireland. This report has been completed. It is not considered appropriate for general publication.
Working Group on Foster Care
This group held its first meeting on 28 October 1998. The terms of reference are, accepting that where a child requires care outside their own family, in particular if they require care for long periods, they should, as a general rule be cared for in another family.
The working party on foster care is asked to make recommendations, as soon as possible, on all aspects of foster care and in particular in relation to the following areas: the requirements for the recruitment and training of foster parents; the ongoing training and support that should be provided for foster families; the development of relative fostering; the requirements for the further development of the foster care service; the support and training required for special fostering arrangements and the support and training required for fostering arrangements for children with behavioural problems.
Membership of the working group is made up of representatives from the health boards, the Irish Foster Care Association and officials from the Department of Health and Children. The working party has not published any report.
Viagra Expert Group
The role of this group is to monitor the demand for Viagra and the prescribing patterns of doctors; to assess the effectiveness of the drug, and to recommend a prescribing protocol and controls which will ensure that patients with genuine medical need can obtain the drug under the general medical services scheme or the community drugs schemes as appropriate and protect against misuse.
The first meeting of the group took place on 27 October 1998. No reports have been published to date.
The Dental Treatment Services Scheme Review Group
The role of this group is to review the general progress and overall workings of the dental treatment services scheme, including accountability and monitoring procedures.
The group, which is chaired by an assistant secretary, Department of Health and Children, is representative of the Department of Health and Children, including the Chief Dental Officer, health boards, GMS (Payments) Board, Irish Dental Association and IMPACT. The group had its first meeting on 8 April 1997. The group has not published any report.
National Committee for Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis
The National Committee for Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis was established in December 1997 to prepare documentation to certify that Ireland is free of wild polio virus. This forms part of the World Health Organisation's programme for certification that polio has been eradicated in Europe. The committee is expected to continue in existence until 2000 and is not required to produce a report. It will however, prepare standard documentation as required by the WHO in line with its objective.
Working Group on Bacterial Meningitis
The working group on bacterial meningitis was established in 1996 with the following terms of reference: to examine the incidence of bacterial meningitis and related conditions, and to make such recommendations as may be required to strengthen the surveillance and control of these conditions.
The group made its report in January 1997. The report was circulated to appropriate personnel and agencies within the health service. The working group continues in existence as a standing committee to monitor the situation and to provide advice on the surveillance and control of meningitis as required.
National Tuberculosis Committee
The report of the working party on tuberculosis, published in October 1998, recommended,inter alia, that a national tuberculosis review committee be established to advise on a national strategy for the control and management of tuberculosis. It was subsequently decided that the review committee should be established as a standing committee with the remit of overseeing the implementation of the report of the working party. The committee held its first meeting on 6 May 1998.
Advisory Committee on National Cervical Screening Programme
The report of the Department of Health and Children cervical screening committee was launched as part of the national cancer strategy in March 1997. The report recommends,inter alia, the introduction of a national organised screening programme for women in the 25-60 age group at minimum intervals of five years. It was considered that the screening programme should first be piloted to identify and resolve any difficulties which might arise and the Mid-Western Health Board area was chosen for the pilot project.
An advisory committee was established in April 1997 to oversee the piloting of the programme. In addition, the committee will advise on developments and best practice including quality assurance and new technologies, development of protocols where appropriate, etc.
Advisory Group on the Prevention of Transmission of Blood-Borne Diseases in the Health Care Setting
The role of the group is to draw up recommendations on measures to prevent the spread of blood-borne diseases in hospitals and propose protocols for the treatment of health service staff who may have contracted these conditions.
The group is chaired by a deputy chief medical officer of the Department. The membership includes public health doctors, specialists in the treatment of infectious diseases, a medico-legal expert, an occupational health physician, the Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, an infection control sister and an officer of the Department. The group was established in January 1997. A draft copy of the group's report has been circulated to interested parties for observations. The final report is being completed.
The Women's Health Council
The Women's Health Council was established in June 1997. No report was published in the past 12 months.
Working Group to Review the Child Abuse Guidelines
This group was established in February 1998 with the following terms of reference: in view of the implementation of the Child Care Act, 1991, changes in the management of health boards and the commitment of the Government to introduce mandatory reporting of child abuse, to review the guidelines on procedures for the identification, investigation and management of child abuse, and the notification of suspected cases of child abuse between health boards and Garda and to prepare revised guidelines aimed at improving the identification, investigation and management of child abuse.
Materials Management Implementation Group
The group was established in July 1997 as an interim body to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the report of materials management advisory group.
The group is composed of personnel drawn from across the health sector, ten members. The group is not required to produce a report.
Health Technology Assessment
Thisad hoc group was established in May 1998 and its role is to develop a health technology framework to provide the basis for better decision making and to enable the benefits and cost effectiveness to be measured and evaluated.
The group is composed of personnel drawn from across the health sector, eight members. No report has been published to date.
The National Council of Ageing and Older People
The main role is to advise the Minister for Health and Children on all aspects of ageing and the welfare of older people, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister.
The council was established in March 1997. Reports published in the last 12 months include review of the implementation of the recommendations of "The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly" and implications for future policy on older people in Ireland, report No. 49, Adding years to life and life to years — A Health Promotion Strategy for Older People, report No. 50, and The Law and Older People. A Handbook for Service Providers, report No. 51.
National Task Force on Suicide
This task force was established in November 1995 and published its final report in January 1998.
Methadone Treatment Services Review Group
In January 1997 the methadone treatment services review group was set up to consider the arrangements in place for the management and care of opiate dependent drug misusers by general practitioners and pharmacists and to advise me on the approaches to be taken in the future. I announced the publication of the review group's report, which was circulated nationwide to general practitioners, pharmacists and other relevant agencies on 19 February this year. With the publication of the report an implementation group was established to ensure implementation of the report's recommendation at the earliest stage.
The implementation group, which is chaired by Dr. Joe Barry, public health specialist, Eastern Health Board, has representation from all health boards, the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and my Department.
National AIDS Strategy Committee (NASC)
The national AIDS strategy committee, NASC, was established in 1991. The committee meets on a regular basis to oversee the implementation of HIV/AIDS strategy and to advise me on developments. Three of its four subcommittees are under the aegis of my Department, the surveillance sub-committee, the care and management sub-committee and the education and prevention sub-committee. NASC has not published a report in the past 12 months, but it has commenced a review of national strategy and its implementation in view of the changes which have occurred in patterns of transmission and in treatment over the years. This review will take place during 1999.
NASC is chaired by the Minister of State, Department of Health and Children, Deputy Moffatt. It has representation from health boards, Departments of Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, infectious diseases consultants in St. James's and Mater/Beaumont Hospitals, Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Virus Reference Laboratory, Merchants Quay Project, Malaids, Cáirde, The Alliance for Sexual Health, Gay Health Network, Irish College of General Practitioners, Ana Liffey Project and my Department.
Expert Group on Hepatitis C
In October 1997 an expert group was established to make recommendations to the Minister for Health and children on the clinical and non-clinical management of the group of women who received anti-D which was infected or potentially infected with hepatitis C, but who have tested negative for the virus. The work of the expert group is continuing. The expert group has not published a report.
National Blood User's Group
In July 1998, a national blood users group was established, comprising a number of specialists with a particular interest in blood utilisation, to support the development of best transfusion practice in hospitals, and specifically to,inter alia, develop blood utilisation guidelines, develop key indicators of quality in clinical transfusion practice in specialist areas, develop protocols for the administration of blood and blood products, and understand and address patients' attitudes and concerns about transfusion.
Consultative Council on Hepatitis C
The consultative council on hepatitis C was established by the Minister for Health and Children on 26 November 1996. The role of the council is to advise and make recommendations to the Minister for Health and Children on all aspects of hepatitis C, on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister. The council consists of 16 members appointed by the Minister, of whom six are appointed on the nomination of the four groups representing those persons who contracted hepatitis C through the administration within the State of blood products — Positive Action; two members, Transfusion Positive, two members, the Irish Haemophilia Society, one member and the Irish Kidney Association, one member. The council presented its 1997 annual report to the Minister for Health and Children on 26 June 1998.
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