Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2006
327 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if she has in mind an enhanced role for the health centres to play in the delivery of the health services here with particular reference to wider availability, in conjunction with hospital accident and emergency with a view to eliminating waiting time and improving the level and quality of service to patients or potential patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41690/06]
View answerThe Strategy, Primary Care: A New Direction, aims to develop services in the community to give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, health care assistants, home helps, occupational therapists and others.
It has been estimated that up to 95% of people's health and social services needs can be properly met within a primary care setting and the establishment of new Primary Care Teams can contribute greatly to enhancing community based health services in these areas. The provision of additional community based services can provide significant benefits to both individual patients and to the overall health system by allowing hospitals to concentrate on those who need more complex interventions, and by reducing the number of people who are required to attend Accident and Emergency facilities.
The HSE received an additional €10m in funding in 2006 to enable the establishment of up to 100 Primary Care Teams which will include some 300 additional frontline professionals. The funding is being targeted by the HSE to provide the potential for each Local Health Office (formerly Community Care Areas) to establish up to three primary care teams; a further €10m is being provided in 2007 to enable the full year costs of these developments to be met. This will bring to €38m per annum the total ongoing funding provided by the Government to support the implementation of the strategy. This is in addition to the very substantial resources already in the funding base for a wide range of primary care services.
330 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if a reorganisation of orthodontic services for children will be considered to enable treatment to be administered through the private sector on foot of a specific allocation similar to the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41693/06]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to the funding, management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.
331 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent to which children deemed to require orthodontic treatment have been re-categorised in the past five years, thereby removing large numbers from the waiting list without treatment; the way such children have received treatment, if at all; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41694/06]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to the funding, management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.
332 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children her proposals to ensure that adequate orthodontists are available to deal with the requirements of children on orthodontic waiting lists; if she will examine the extent to which such waiting lists are progressing, if at all; her plans to reorganise orthodontic services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41695/06]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to the funding, management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.
