Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014
1142. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the investment that has been made in community-based services for persons with chronic illness and disability; the future investment plans there are in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13815/14]
View answerThe Government is fully committed to ensuring the on-going delivery of vital services and supports to people in the community with disabilities within available resources.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has been provided with funding in the order of €1.4 billion this year to fund its 2014 disability services programme for children and adults with disabilities.
Additional funding of €14m has been provided to address the priority needs within disability services identified by the Minister and advised to the HSE: €10m to provide additional places for school-leavers, those leaving training and emergency residential placements, and €4m to deliver the required increase in services for children with disabilities, including autism, and to reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
The HSE is engaged in an ongoing process to develop chronic disease management programmes across the spectrum of services from prevention to sustaining services, e.g. as part of the phased roll out of the National Integrated Care Diabetes Programme, the HSE's 2013 National Service Plan indented funding for the appointment of 17 Integrated Care Diabetes Nurse Specialists (one per HSE Integrated Service Area). These Diabetes Nurse Specialists will play a key role in the development of clinically sound collaborative links between primary care and secondary care providers and will also be an essential resource in empowering patients to achieve optimum diabetes control.
I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the provision of community based services for persons with chronic illness, including future investment plans.
Question No. 1143 answered with Question No. 1141.
