Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 2

Written Answers. - Care of the Elderly.

Bernard Allen

Question:

124 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to introduce a nationwide campaign to reduce falls by the elderly in hospitals in view of the fact that a recent survey showed that, by introducing safety measures, the level of incidents can be reduced fivefold. [7372/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

In the design of all new residential facilities for older people, measures to aid and protect the safety of residents are specified in the planning brief such as handrails, non-slip and level floor surfaces, assisted toilets, special lighting, easy access to outside the building etc. As many of these features as possible are also included in upgrading works carried out in older residential facilities. The programme of providing new community nursing units for older people and upgrading of existing units, which include these design features, will continue under the national development plan.

As far as health and safety issues are concerned the Health and Safety Authority has overall responsibility for advising on and enforcing health and safety legislation and regulations. Health agencies, as with all other employers, have the responsibility for ensuring workplace health and safety.

The Health and Safety Authority is in the process of forging strategic alliances with the country's eight health boards to promote their common objectives in the area of workplace health and safety. The Health and Safety Authority will work with health agencies to identify and prioritise the principal factors affecting safety and health in the health sector and encourage and support the development of good practices.

The Health and Safety Authority has established an Advisory Committee on the Health Services Sector under section 17 of the Health Safety and Welfare Act, 1989. The committee will identify and prioritise the principal factors affecting health and safety in the health sector, having regard to the previous advisory committee report of 1992 and report to the authority its recommendations.

The question of health and safety provisions is essentially one for the individual agencies to deal with on a day to day basis within their annual determination, service planning process and legal requirements under the health and safety Acts.