Dan Boyle
Question:232 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Health and Children when it is intended to publish the most up to date figures relating to the intellectual disability database. [4942/03]
Written Answers. - Intellectual Disability Database.
The 2000 report from the national intellectual disability database was published in August 2001. The 2001 report will be published before the end of March and the 2002 report will be available by early summer.
The annual report is compiled from the regional datasets provided by the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. Due to a delay in the submission of one regional dataset, it was not possible to compile the information which forms the basis for the annual report. This was the case in relation to both 2001 and 2002.
In April 2000, information from the national intellectual disability database indicated that in the period 2000 to 2004, 1,711 new residential and 912 new day places were required to meet the identified needs for these services. It should be noted that in addition to the day places required to meet the needs of those awaiting placement in the services as mentioned above, the additional funding also provided for those requiring a change in day services. These include young people leaving school and requiring rehabilitative training places or those moving from rehabilitative training to other areas of the services such as sheltered work, activation or services for older people.
The initial indications from the 2001 data are that while the impact of the 2000 development programme is reflected in the data, there are still a significant number of persons seeking residential services in particular.
Demographic factors are contributing to growing waiting lists for residential services even though the numbers of people receiving full-time residential services continue to increase. The increased birth rate in the 1960s and 1970s has resulted in large numbers of adults in their late 20s and early 30s requiring full-time residential services. In addition people with an intellectual disability are living longer than previously adding to the need for services compared to previous generations. This has also been the international experience in service provision to this population.
A review of the waiting lists between 1997 and 1999, conducted by the Health Research Board and published in the 1999 annual report from the national intellectual disability database, showed that while 269 people from the original waiting list of 1,439 received full time residential services in the period, the waiting list had grown by an additional 238 places, i.e. 507 had joined the waiting list in the period.
The health boards have been informed in their 2003 letters of determination that, given the key role which the national intellectual disability database has in the planning and monitoring of service provision, it is vital that the timetable for the compilation and submission of data in respect of 2003 is complied with. They have also been informed that there will be no extension of this timeframe in relation to the export of data to the Department and that they should take whatever measures are required to ensure that this deadline is met.