Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 July 2023
351. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to provide on update on the Programme for Government commitment to support community specialist palliative homecare teams in all HSE areas, fund designated home care packages, and resource specialist palliative care provided in hospices since the establishment of the current Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33327/23]
View answerSpecialist palliative care services are provided by the HSE in conjunction with the voluntary sector. Specialist palliative care multidisciplinary teams deliver integrated care in acute hospitals, specialist palliative care inpatient units (hospices) and in community settings including a person’s home. Specialist palliative care reduces acute hospital admissions and facilitates earlier discharge from hospitals to the community where care is delivered by the palliative care team in accordance with the patient and family’s needs.
Key objectives of the National Service Plan 2023 are to facilitate earlier discharge from hospital of patients who wish to receive end-of-life care in the community in line with their needs and to increase the number of patients receiving night support at home in collaboration with the Irish Cancer Society and Irish Hospice Foundation. The Palliative Care Budget increased to a total national service plan allocation in 2022 of €121.9 million from a national service plan allocation of €119m in 2021. In 2023, the budget is €130.1m.
Budget 2023 has an allocation of €3.7million to be provided for new measures in palliative care. The new measures will enhance the provision of adult and children’s specialist palliative care services across the country and will include funding to support bereavement services for parents and families who have experienced the death of a child.
The HSE’s 2017-2019 Palliative Care Development Framework identifies Tullamore, Cavan, and Drogheda as regions where additional hospices are required. The HSE continues to work with the planning and development of Drogheda Hospice. This work involves HSE Estates, CHO8, and the 3rd party philanthropist.
Regarding the development of a hospice in the Midlands, the HSE is working on developing a costed time lined plan for the hospice. In September 2022, Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced €20m in capital funding for a new specialist palliative care inpatient unit for the Midlands. The Midlands hospice development is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
In relation to the delivery of a specialist palliative care unit at St Christopher’s Hospice in Cavan, I have been informed by the HSE that the design for the unit has been agreed by all parties involved and is in the process of being submitted to the County Council for planning permission. It is anticipated that construction works would commence at the earliest Q4 of 2023 or Q1 2024.
Once these planned hospices are open, there will be an inpatient unit in every region of the country, providing specialist palliative care inpatient services for people with complex needs, a hub for the existing specialist palliative community homecare teams and supporting the discharge of patients from acute hospitals.
The Department of Health is currently developing a new palliative care policy for adults to replace the 2001 report. The new policy will reflect the changes in end-of-life care including increased demand for adult palliative care, the shift towards care in the community, the emphasis in Sláintecare on addressing geographic variations in the provision of both community and hospital palliative care services, and developments in international best practice.
With regard to an update on community specialist palliative homecare teams in all HSE areas and designated home care packages, this has been referred to the HSE as it is a service matter. I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
