Vol. 575 No. 3
244 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Health and Children the support mechanisms available in the different health board areas; to the parents and the victims of rape and other serious sexual assaults who are minors; the number of cases awaiting counselling; the approximate timescale for those victims to receive counselling, including priority and non-priority cases; and the additional staff proposals he plans to approve to tackle this problem. [28220/03]
I understand from the regional health boards that the support mechanisms available to minors who are victims of sexual assault and their parents include professional services such as medical and nursing, social work, child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical psychology and family support services. Services provided include risk assessment, child protection and treatment, counselling, support and advice and alternative care as appropriate.
Some health boards have indicated that they do not have waiting lists for counselling and some do not routinely collate figures on the number of cases awaiting counselling. The number of cases awaiting counselling in those health board areas who indicate that they both have waiting lists and also collate the relevant figures is 32.
Not all health boards distinguish between priority and non-priority cases and timescales tend to depend on the type of counselling needed, but in general priority cases are in many cases seen immediately. Non-priority cases are generally seen within a matter of a few months.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority is not in a position to provide the detail sought by the Deputy in the time available and my Department has asked the regional chief executive to respond to the Deputy directly with the information sought.
Each chief executive officer, in managing the workforce in his or her region, is responsible for determining appropriate staffing arrangements in line with service priorities, subject to overall employment levels remaining within the approved employment ceiling. Proposals for additional staff have to be seen in this context.
Questions Nos. 245 and 246 answered with Question No. 241
