Vol. 519 No. 2
228 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he is drafting a new policy in conjunction with the health board chief executives in regard to the provision of specialist services in acute hospitals; and if radical changes will be involved. [13607/00]
My Department has been in discussion with the regional chief executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the chief executive officers of the health boards in relation to the provision of national specialist services.
These discussions cover issues such as the designation, resourcing and evaluation of national specialist services, principally in the acute sector. Work on this matter is ongoing and I am not in a position to pre-empt the outcome of these discussions.
229 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the financial allocation which has been made to each of the health boards to implement the cardio-vascular health strategy in 2000. [13608/00]
A sum of £12 million was made available in the budget for the year 2000 to fund initiatives aimed at commencing the process of implementing the recommendations contained in Building Healthier Hearts in a planned and structured manner. Each of the health boards has received a financial allocation of £1 million, with the exception of the Eastern Regional Health Authority which has received £3 million.
