Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2014
436. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the delays in the Cork area for children needing to access Health Service Executive early intervention and autism spectrum disorders, ASD, services; the numbers awaiting such services in Cork north Lee and Cork south Lee respectively; the average waiting times in both of these HSE areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10625/14]
View answer437. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on waiting times for early intervention and ASD services in the Cork north Lee Health Service Executive area; if he will provide details on the average waiting times for referrals and assessments and the subsequent average waiting times for services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10626/14]
View answer438. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health with regard to waiting times for early intervention and ASD services in the Cork north Lee Health Service Executive area, if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers awaiting referral, assessment and various services for up to three months, for three to six months, six to 12 months, 12 to 24 months and 24 to 36 months, and more than 36 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10627/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 436 to 438, inclusive, together.
The Government is committed to the provision and development of services for children with a disability, including early intervention services, within available resources. While these services are in the process of being reconfigured under the HSE’s National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years), it is important to note that all HSE areas have significant services in place for children with disabilities aged up to eighteen years. These are provided directly by the HSE or by voluntary service providers funded by the HSE.
The aim of the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme is to achieve a national, unified approach to delivering disability health services so that there is a clear pathway to services for all children, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their disability. An additional €4m has been specifically allocated in 2014 to drive implementation of the Programme. This equates to approximately 80 therapy posts.
Almost 60 geographic-based multi-disciplinary teams have been established to date under the Programme as part of the reconfigured service model. It is hoped that a further 30 teams will be reconfigured this year, bringing the overall total to approximately 90 teams by the end of 2014. These figures reflect all children's disability teams that provide early intervention and school age services to children aged up to eighteen years. The transition to this new model is taking place on a phased basis and, importantly, includes consultation and engagement with stakeholders, such as service users and their families.
Within this context I have asked the HSE to provide the Deputy with the detailed operational information requested concerning early intervention services for children with disabilities living in the Cork North Lee HSE area.
