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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 2

Written Answers. - Maternity Services.

Noel Ahern

Question:

110 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the free health service available to babies and mothers; if it covers the first six weeks and three months; if it includes all services, including those of a general practitioner, or just the facilities of the baby nurse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6254/02]

The maternity and infant care scheme provides an agreed programme of care, free of charge, to an expectant mother arising out of her pregnancy and to her new born baby for six weeks after birth. All expectant mothers who are ordinarily resident in Ireland are eligible to avail of services under the scheme. Women who choose to avail of these services are under the care of both a general practitioner of their choice and a hospital obstetrician. After the birth, usually within 48 hours of discharge from hospital, a public health nurse visits the mother and child at their home. The scheme also provides for two designated post-natal visits to the general practitioner. The purpose of these visits is to conduct developmental checks on the baby and a post-natal examination of the mother. The first visit is within two weeks of the birth and the second is at six weeks.

Under the national health strategy, a commitment has been given to extend the maternity and infant care scheme to provide four additional free GP visits for infants in the first year of life, to cover general childhood illnesses. Section 66 of the Health Act, 1970 states that health boards have a statutory obligation to make available without charge a health examination and treatment service for children under the age of six years. Children who are referred to specialist outpatient services or for admission to hospital arising from these examinations are also treated free of charge.
A review of child health services, including those provided under section 66, was carried out by the chief executive officers of the health boards and resulted in the publication in late 1999 of the report, "Best Health for Children". This report provides for a new core surveillance programme for children in the under one to 12 age group. In the case of babies, in addition to an examination at birth, the visit by the public health nurse within 48 hours of discharge from hospital and a developmental check up at six weeks, the new core surveillance programme provides for the following, free of charge: a developmental check at three months, conducted by the public health nurse; a developmental check at seven to nine months conducted by a doctor, usually an area medical officer and a public health nurse; and a developmental check at 18-24 months, conducted by the public health nurse.
With a view to facilitating the health boards in commencing the implementation of the recommendations, including putting in place the new core surveillance programme, my Department allocated €1.015 million in 2001 and a further €1.052 million this year. A national conjoint child health committee, established by the chief executive officers of the health boards, is currently overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the recommendations.
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