Vol. 553 No. 2
469 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children when it is intended to extend the availability of rehabilitation services for young head-injured patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13093/02]
Effective rehabilitation draws on a broad range of services to meet the particular needs of patients, with the objective of helping patients return to normal life in the community. In the light of this, a large element of rehabilitation services is provided on a day or community care basis. The relevant services range from specialist in-patient medical rehabilitation through such services as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. These services are often initiated in the context of in-patient treatment for another underlying illness or condition and subsequently continued on a day care basis or in the community, consistent with patients needs. It is, therefore, more appropriate to focus on ensuring that rehabilitation is provided to patients in the most appropriate setting rather than on the basis of identifying dedicated services for particular categories of patients other than those requiring specialist in-patient medical rehabilitation.
The provision of appropriate rehabilitation care is also an integral element of the service required by many types of patients and proposals for development of additional capacity in the services that contribute to rehabilitation are often presented in the context of proposals for broader service developments. For example, the report of the review group on the waiting list initiative identified that a significant proportion of acute hospital beds were being inappropriately used by patients who did not need, or who no longer needed, acute hospital care. This problem arises due to a shortage of places in the areas of "step-down" or convalescent care, rehabilitation facilities and community based services which reduce the need to use acute hospital care.
Rehabilitation services also have an important role for groups such as people with physical disabilities. Rehabilitation services in this area are provided as part of a comprehensive range of community based services. Since 1997, additional funding of just over €185 million has been invested in the maintenance and development of health related support services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, including those with significant disabilities (young chronic sick).
In December 2000, I gave approval for the establishment of a project team to oversee the developments at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork. The establishment of a purpose-built acute rehabilitation unit with associated treatment and ancillary facilities is part of the proposed development. This unit will serve the Cork and the greater Munster region and will provide services similar to those currently being provided in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire. A design brief has recently been submitted to the Department.
