Written Answers. - Respite Care.
John V. Farrelly
Question:
200
Mr. Farrelly
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the number of residential respite care places in each health board area; if he will take into consideration in the forthcoming budget the work done by the Irish Wheelchair Association and the four key areas in which it requires urgent improvements, for example, personal assistance services, resource centres, residential respite and the cost of disability payments scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24017/99]
The latest information available in my Department regarding the number of respite places for people with physical disabilities in each health board area is given in the following tabular statement.
|
Health Board
|
Respite Places
|
|
Eastern
|
29
|
|
Midland
|
11 (six of which are in facilities for the elderly)
|
|
Mid-Western
|
2 at present (with 8 new places coming on stream early next year)
|
|
North-Eastern
|
10
|
|
North-Western
|
7
|
|
South-Eastern
|
1
|
|
Southern
|
73
|
|
Western
|
62 (Including the 60 respite places at the IWA national centre at Cuisle, Co. Roscommon)
|
|
Total
|
203
|
Regional co-ordinating committees for physical and sensory disability services have been put in place in each of the health boards. These committees, which comprise representatives of the voluntary and statutory agencies and people with disabilities themselves, function in a consultative and advisory capacity to the chief executive officers of the boards in identifying and prioritising service developments and the allocation of funding available for this purpose. The allocation of additional resources for residential respite is considered by health boards in this context. This year £3 million, rising to £6 million full year cost in 2000, was allocated for the development of services and £4 million for capital projects.
With regard to persons with an intellectual disability, the information sought in relation to respite care places is not available in the form requested by the Deputy. However, information from the national intellectual disability database indicated that as at September 1996, 7,572 persons with an intellectual disability and autism were in receipt of five or seven day residential services, 14,989 persons were in receipt of day services, of whom 1,875 also received residential support services. A further 243 persons were identified as receiving residential support services only. However, because of the fact that, for most people, respite services are provided as a second ary service, in addition to their primary service, which would be either in educational or day placement, the level of reporting of this secondary service in 1996 did not fully reflect the level of respite services being provided. Data in respect of 1998, which I expect will be available shortly, will more fully reflect the level of respite service for people with an intellectual disability and autism and I will arrange for this information to be forwarded to the Deputy when it becomes available.
In its budget 2000 submission, in relation to services for people with physical and sensory disability services, the Irish Wheelchair Association calls for additional revenue funding totalling £32 million to be made available for the provision of additional residential and respite places, day resource centres, personal assistance services and the introduction of a cost of disability payment scheme.
Since this Government took office in 1997 a total of £38.162 million additional funding has been provided for services to people with physical and sensory disabilities. In line with the recommendations of the report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities, Towards an Independent Future, this funding has mainly been allocated to address historical deficits in the voluntary sector, to address identified core underfunding of existing services and to develop a number of services such as respite, residential, home support, including personal assistance, day care, therapy services and sheltered employment. Once-off funding has also been provided for the provision of aids and appliances.
Between 1997 and 1998, a total of £2.762 million has been provided for respite and residential services; £841,000 for day activity-day resource services and £902,000 for home support services, including personal assistance services. This year capital funding of £520,000 is being provided for respite and residential services and £1.477 million for day activity-day resource services. Since 1997, an additional 95 respite care places and 51 residential places have been put in place. It is my policy to continue to develop these services in accordance with the availability of funding.
The costs of disability payment is one of the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. The implementation of the commission's recommendations has been under examination by an interdepartmental task force and a progress report is currently being drawn up by the task force.
