Written Answers Nos. 224-232
229. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will rescind the decision taken by the Health Service Executive to withdraw core funding for the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare; his views on whether the HSE is accountable and transparent without the oversight of the ISQSH; if he will confirm where these funds have gone; if they have been returned to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20571/13]
View answerDecisions in relation to the funding of the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare are proper to the Health Service Executive (HSE), as appropriate to its holding of the Health Vote.
I have arranged to have the Deputy's questions referred to the HSE for attention and a more detailed response.
230. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health his plans to implement the recommendations from the report, the Respite Services for Children with Life-Limiting Conditions and their Families in Ireland, a National Needs Assessment, on palliative care for children; and if so, if he will outline his implementation plan. [20587/13]
View answerThe National Development Committee for Children’s Palliative Care, jointly chaired by the HSE and the Irish Hospice Foundation, agreed that an assessment should be undertaken in HSE South and HSE West to complete the national picture following an earlier exercise in two HSE regions (HSE Dublin North East and Dublin Mid-Leinster) which examined respite care for children with life-limiting conditions.
The Irish Hospice Foundation and LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, in partnership with the HSE, on 4 March published the report to provide this national overview of service provision and future respite requirements as part of a palliative care service for children in Ireland.
The report identifies some of the challenges involved in planning for respite care such as difficulties with definitions and terminology; determining the numbers of children who require respite care and the numbers currently availing of services; the extent and location of current service provision; the perhaps at times unnecessary distinction between disability services and palliative care.
The report provides an indication of what is currently available and what is required at a national level to provide for the respite needs of children and families. The report acknowledges that a significant level of respite support is already being provided but access is inconsistent around the country and can be dependent on diagnosis and/or geographic location. Most families prefer to be able to care for their child at home. In order to be able to do so adequate support systems need to be in place and this includes the availability of a high standard of respite care both in the child’s home and also out-of-home in an appropriate residential setting/respite unit.
The report will assist the Department of Health and the National Development Committee in planning for the respite needs of children with life-limiting conditions, and is a useful contribution to filling in the gaps in the understanding and knowledge of the way respite services for children are organised.
The National Development Committee for Children’s Palliative Care will undertake to respond to these recommendations through its ongoing programme of work.
231. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Carlow who waited 18 months to be assessed for braces was told they would have to wait at least another 18 months for them to be fitted with a possibility of them then being too old for the scheme and the reason when they fit the criteria for braces the orthodontist would tell them to see a private orthodontist [20611/13]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment based on clinical need to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.
232. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the review completed in 2012 by the Health Service Executive on the suicide crisis assessment nurses work with emergency departments and GPs (SCAN). [20628/13]
View answerThe Research Evaluation of the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) Service was published by the HSE in November, 2012. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of SCAN, from the perspective of service users, primary care practitioners, support service providers and local mental health teams.
As this is a HSE report, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
