Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Apr 2001

Vol. 534 No. 3

Written Answers. - Domiciliary Services.

Andrew Boylan

Question:

159 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Health and Children the allocation his Department has made to each of the health boards for domiciliary services for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001; the number of speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists who are providing domiciliary services in each health board area; and the number receiving this service in each category. [10454/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Health boards provide a range of health related services to people within the community and when appropriate, within their own home. Such services are generally provided to individuals with disabilities and their families, older people and individuals who have just been discharged from hospital who require follow up services within their own home.

Priorities for development for physical and sensory disability services and intellectual disability services are decided by the health boards in consultation with the regional co-ordinating committees for both sectors. Between 1999 and 2001 a total of £107.25 million additional ongoing revenue has been allocated for the development of health related support services, including services, which are provided in the home for people with disabilities. As requested, the allocation of this funding is broken down in the following table, by health board, for each of the three years in question.

Since 1999, a total of £11.35 million has been allocated to the health boards for the development of home help/community support services for older people. Government policy in relation to the care of older people is to maintain them in their own homes for as long as possible and the role played by home helps is vital to the success of this policy. Following the publication of the report entitled "The Future Organisation of the Home Help Service in Ireland" by the National Council on Ageing and Older People, a total of £4.28 million has been provided to the health boards between 1999 and 2001 to expand and develop the home help service and provide appropriate training for home helps as recommended in the report. In addition, £7.07 million has been allocated for the development of community support services for older people. Details of the breakdown of this funding are provided in the table following:

Development funding for Disability Services and for Home Help and Community Support 1999-2000.

Health Board	DisabilityServices(IR£m)	Services for Older People(IR£m)	Home Help	Com. Support	DisabilityServices(IR£m)	Services for Older People(IR£m)	Home Help	Com. Support	DisabilityServices(IR£m)
ERHA	6.69	0.504	0.1	15.556	0.2	0.2	18.975
MHB	1.255	0.08	0.1	3.557	0.075	0.075	3.519
MWHB	2.135	0.135	0.1	4.248	0.075	0.075	2.783
NEHB	2.115	0.158	0.1	2.972	0.075	0.075	3.208
NWHB	1.17	0.076	0.1	2.611	0.075	0.075	2.764
SEHB	2.285	0.138	0.1	3.737	0.08	0.08	3.683
SHB	2.935	0.299	0.1	4.6	0.14	0.14	4.911
WHB	2.415	0.11	0.1	4.719	0.06	0.06	4.407
Total	21	1.5	0.8	42	0.78	0.78	44.25

Additional funding totalling £1.65 million has also been provided between 1999 and 2001 for the following projects – £300,000 for a community midwifery service pilot project in the Southern Health Board; £750,000 for the development of a Hospital Outreach pilot project in the Western Health Board and £600,000 for the development of a DOMINO/hospital outreach project – domiciliary care in and out of hospital – based at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street.

It has also been agreed by the health boards that where arrangements are entered into with a private midwife that the boards will pay up to a maximum of £1,000 towards the costs incurred. There are approximately 200 births in the home per annum.

The number of speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists providing domiciliary services and the number of clients receiving a service is not routinely gathered by my Department. I have requested the health boards to provide this information and will communicate with the Deputy on receipt of same.