Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 1

Written Answers. - Palliative Care.

Paul McGrath

Question:

236 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of money paid by his Department for hospice nurse services in each health board area; if he will express this expenditure as a percentage of the total cost of providing the service in each area; and the plans if any, he has to increase this aid for such a valuable service. [15368/00]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

I presume the Deputy is referring to development funding provided by my Department for the provision of palliative home care and day care services. Details of the additional development funding provided by my Department in 2000 are set as follows:

Eastern Regional Health Authority	£100,000
Midland Health Board	£50,000
Mid-Western Health Board	£50,000
North-Eastern Health Board	£75,000
North-Western Health Board	£75,000
South-Eastern Health Board	£225,000
Western Health Board	£395,000*
Our Lady's Hospice Harold's Cross	£200,000

*The Western Health Board received £395,000 for the development of palliative care services in Galway, Roscommon and Mayo. A detailed breakdown of the amount allocated to the provision of home care and day care services is being prepared by the board and will be forwarded to the Deputy.

Significant additional funding of £1.6 million has also been provided in 2000 to enable other areas of the palliative care service to be developed, for example, new consultant posts, paramedical and support staff and respite services.

Details regarding the arrangements made by voluntary groups to provide funding for home care or day care services at local level are not available within my Department. It is therefore not possible to provide a percentage breakdown of the total cost as requested by the Deputy. However, since 1997, additional development funding of approximately £10 million has been provided by the Department of Health and Children for palliative care services nationally.

As the Deputy may be aware, a national advisory committee on palliative care services is preparing a comprehensive national policy for the strategic planning and development of palliative care services. The provision of further development funding for these services will be considered within the context of the recommendations made in the report of the advisory committee. I expect to be presented with this report before the end of 2000.