Written Answers Nos. 557-566
557. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons here recorded as having polio; the facilities that exist to support those who have polio; the way his Department is working with others to assist in the global commitment to eradicate polio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37311/16]
View answerThe Department does not have the figures readily available. I have referred the Deputy's question to the Health Service Executive for a direct reply.
558. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the reason for the closure of the community health clinic in Youghal, County Cork; the reason no prior notice was given to those who use the service; and his plans to ensure that local persons are not affected. [37313/16]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
559. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if he will make provisions for the development of a dedicated injury unit in County Sligo for a place to treat specific injuries such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, wounds, scalds and minor burns, in view of the successful roll-out of similar units in other parts of the country, with the overall aim of reducing the pressures on Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37314/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
560. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the detail of the apparent changes in cost implications regarding the development of the new children's hospital at St. James's Hospital; if the development will stay within its budgeted figure; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the development of the hospital at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, would deliver a significant cost saving to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37316/16]
View answerThe Government decision in 2012 to co-locate the hospital with St James's, Ireland’s leading and largest acute, adult research intensive hospital, was made in the best interests of children, with clinical considerations paramount in the decision. Independent reviews since 2006 have reaffirmed the importance of co-location with a major adult teaching hospital.
Planning permission was granted for this new children’s hospital, as well as for two Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Satellite Centres at Tallaght and Connolly Hospital, in April of this year, clearing the way for enabling works which began this summer on the campus of St. James's Hospital. It is expected that the satellite centres at Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital can open in 2018, significantly enhancing access to urgent care and outpatient services for children from the Greater Dublin Area. Building work on the main site will be completed in 2020.
The previous Government committed to making €200m available from the sale of the National Lottery for the new children's hospital, adding to the existing €450m Exchequer funding and underlining the Government's commitment to the project. The 2014 estimate, as set out in the approved Project Brief, affirmed delivery of the core hospital, including both satellite centres, within this envelope. As with any capital project, it is essential that cost estimates be reviewed and refined as appropriate, including making prudent provision for construction inflation.
The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, which is the statutory body charged with delivery of the capital project, is currently reviewing tenders, received at the end of October, for the main and specialist contractors for the hospital on the campus of St James’s and the two satellite centres. Due to the high profile nature of this project it is a highly competitive tender process and so it is anticipated that this will be reflected in the submissions tendered. Final capital costs will be available following tender evaluations. As the tendering process is still ongoing and for reasons of commercial sensitivity, details of cost estimates cannot be provided at this stage. It is my intention to bring a Memorandum to Government early in 2017 in relation to the new children’s hospital and associated satellite centres.
The cost of transitioning the new children's hospital to a site at Connolly Hospital has not been assessed in any detail given the fact that no such project exists. Additional to the capital cost of developing the children's hospital itself on the campus, a significant upgrade of Connolly Hospital would be required to achieve the same potential for quality of clinical outcomes as co-location/tri-location with St James’s, requiring very substantial investment of human and capital resources to develop over time into an adult tertiary hospital with critical mass supported by leading edge research facilities.
561. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 220 of 20 October 2016, if he will ensure a reply is provided to the question raised without further delay. [37319/16]
View answerThe provision of services to prevent and treat addiction to alcohol is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. The Health Service Executive has advised that a response to parliamentary question number 220 of 20 October 2016 has been prepared and will issue to you in the coming days.
562. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of a national research and evaluation plan to support the monitoring and evaluation of Connecting for Life. [37358/16]
View answerConnecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020, is currently being implemented, and as such is subject to continuous monitoring and evaluation of existing actions. The National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) has responsibility for monitoring and reporting systems to support the delivery of the Strategy.
To date, activity has been carried out on all of these actions as part of the implementation of Connecting for Life. NOSP is currently in the process of establishing a research team within the office, consisting of a Research Manager, Data Officer and Research Assistant. This is proposed to be fully functional in early 2017. A core part of this team’s work will be the development of a national research and evaluation plan to support the monitoring and evaluation of Connecting for Life.
Actions in Connecting for Life that relate to this include the following:
- Conduct proportionate evaluations of all major activities conducted under the aegis of Connecting for Life; disseminate findings and share lessons learned with programme practitioners and partners.
- Develop capacity for observation and information gathering on those at risk or vulnerable to suicide and self-harm.
- Collate and report on incidences of suicide through current and expanded health surveillance systems over the life of Connecting for Life.
- Collect, analyse and disseminate high quality data on suicide and self-harm and ensure adequate access to, and understanding of, the data among those working in suicide prevention across all sectors.
- Support research on risk and protective factors for suicidal behaviour in groups with an increased risk (or potential increased risk) of suicide behaviour.
- Support the co-ordination and streamlining of research completed by third-level institutions.
- Develop working partnerships with centres of expertise to support evaluation and research, knowledge transfer and implementation support between researchers, policy makers and service providers.
- Evaluate innovative approaches to suicide prevention including online service provision and targeted approaches for appropriate priority groups.
In addition, the Justice and Health sectors will engage with the Coroners, Garda Síochána, NOSP, CSO and research bodies in relation to deaths in custody, and recording of deaths by suicide and open verdicts, to further refine the basis of suicide statistics.
563. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the key provisions of the national education and training plan to support the delivery of Connecting for Life. [37359/16]
View answerConnecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020, is currently being implemented. The Strategy provides an implementation and evaluation structure to achieve each of the goals it proposes, with defined actions and a lead agency and key partners in place for each individual objective. The National Office for Suicide Prevention has responsibility for coordination of the national education and training plan.
The key provisions of this plan are as follows:
- Develop a Training Plan for community based training.
- Deliver awareness training programmes prioritising professionals and volunteers across community-based organisations.
- Provide community-based organisations with guidelines, protocols and training on suicide prevention.
- Provide and sustain training to health and social care professionals.
- Provide support and resources for the implementation of the Department’s curriculum and programmes in the promotion of wellbeing in the school community.
- Deliver training in suicide prevention to staff involved in the delivery of relevant services.
- Support professional regulatory bodies to develop and deliver accredited competency based education on suicide prevention to health professionals.
- Recommend the incorporation of suicide prevention training as part of undergraduate curriculum of the relevant professions.
The Suicide Prevention Education and Training plan will be finalised in December 2016.
564. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if a community-based senior dietician to support the diabetes community has been appointed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37361/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
565. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that respite beds for persons with intellectual disabilities in the system and notably in Enniscorthy are currently being used as full-time institutional beds and thus reducing the capacity for respite to families in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37367/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy, for any further information that they may be able to provide.
