Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013
30. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the key measures in the recently published National Implementation Framework of the Value for Money and Policy Review of the Disability Services Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13869/13]
View answer148. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the way the published National Implementation Framework of the Value for Money and Policy Review of the Disability Services Programme will improve matters for those with disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13856/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 148 together.
I recently approved the National Implementation Framework of the Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Review of the Disability Services Programme which was published on the Department's website (www.doh.ie) on 28th February last. The development of the Framework is one of the key actions identified in Future Health, the recently published Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012 – 2015. It supports the message coming through from Future Health regarding the need to restructure service delivery, and improve organisational, financial, governance and accountability systems with the aim of providing a more effective and more accountable service.
The vision of the Disability Services Programme as set out in the VFM Review is "to contribute to the realisation of a society where people with disabilities are supported, as far as possible, to participate to their full potential in economic and social life, and have access to a range of quality personal social supports and services to enhance their quality of life and well-being". The recommendations in the Review describe how this vision is to be given tangible effect.
The National Implementation Framework determines how the recommendations from the VFM Review are translated into concrete actions. It assigns responsibilities for those actions, and specifies timelines for their completion. It also identifies priorities and key performance indicators. The Framework describes the project management and monitoring processes which are needed to make sure that the reform of the Disability Services Programme is achieved in a planned, timely and cost effective manner.
The implementation of the recommendations, in the manner set out in the National Implementation Framework will ultimately improve the lives of people with disabilities in the following ways:
- People with disabilities and their families will have more choice and flexibility in the services they receive and will have more control over how they access these services.
- Services and supports will be tailored to meet individual need and will support greater independence and social inclusion.
- The move to individualised budgeting will be underpinned by a standardised needs assessment to ensure fairness and transparency in the way in which funding is allocated.
- Supports and services will be delivered with greater equity, transparency and accountability and will be more cost effective.
A set of key measures necessary to implement the 7 strategic aims which are at the core of the recommendations of the VFM Review have been identified. Each key measure has been broken down into a set of key actions. These key measures are clustered under the following strategic aims
1. Establish a national disability function, within the framework of the Social Care Directorate, with a central directional role in funding, shaping and driving the Disability Services Programme.
2. Achieve optimal efficiency in the delivery of the Disability Services Programme.
3. Re-shape certain services and models of service delivery through a collaborative process based on a commissioning and procurement framework.
4. Develop a national resource allocation model, based on a standardised and appropriate assessment of need process, a methodology for associating standard costs with assessed needs and transparent protocols for determining the basis for allocating finite resources.
5. Develop and implement an information infrastructure to support the effective delivery of the Disability Services Programme.
6. Develop a strategic planning framework to support the re-configuration of the Disability Services Programme.
7. Drive migration towards a person-centred model of services and supports through the Service Level Arrangement (SLA) process by initiating and evaluating demonstration projects as proof of concept.
A full list of key measures is published in Appendix A of the Framework.
