Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2014
92. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the action he and the Health Service Executive will take to assist St. Christopher’s Services to continue providing a safe and quality service to the residents of Morlea House, County Longford, and Marian Avenue, Ballymahon, County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36485/14]
View answerThe Programme for Government committed to putting National Standards for Residential Services for People with Disabilities on a statutory footing, to ensure that services could be inspected by HIQA. This commitment was fulfilled when two regulations, one relating to care and support and the second relating to registration issues, were approved and signed by the Minister for Health, with the scheme commencing on 1st November 2013.
The introduction of registration and inspection represents a significant advance in terms of delivering consistent and high quality services for people with disabilities in residential services. The purpose of the regulations is to safeguard and support the delivery of person-centred care to vulnerable people of any age who are receiving residential care services and ensure that their health, well-being and quality of life is promoted and protected. This will empower providers to deliver even higher quality standards.
St. Christopher's Services in Longford delivers services on behalf of the HSE. Like all non-statutory providers, St. Christopher's are responsible for the management of their resources within their allocated funding. I have been assured by the HSE that it has been working with the Board of Directors of St. Christopher's Services to address their funding concerns.
A number of measures to reduce their funding deficit have been proposed and meetings are ongoing in this regard. The HSE will continue to work with St. Christopher's and assist them in finding efficiencies within their service.
