asked the Minister for Health the special measures, if any, he intends to introduce for the International Year of the Disabled to improve health service provisions for disabled persons.
Written Answers . - Disabled Persons Provisions .
411.
: A number of projects have already been identified and work on these has either begun or is about to commence.
(i) A Green Paper on services for the handicapped will be published. Disussions on the range and scope of the issues to be covered will take place shortly with the various interests involved.
(ii) A review of the level of disabled persons maintenance allowances will be carried out, with particular reference to the position of dependants.
(iii) The health boards are about to commence work on a register of physically handicapped persons living in the community. This will provide basic information on the nature and extent of physical handicap in the community.
(iv) A review of residential care provision for the physically handicapped has commenced.
(v) In the field of mental handicap, it is intended to undertake a major updating of the 1974 census of the mentally handicapped. At the same time, directors of community care and medical officers of health under health boards will be introduning a record system for the mentally handicapped living in the community.
The National Rehabitlitation Board and a number of health boards are formulating proposals for a variety of other projects. Firm decisions on these have not yet been taken.
A National Committee for the International Year of the Disabled and Advisory Committee have been established and have held their preliminary meetings. The National Rehabilitation Board has been reorganised and a new post of chief executive has been created.
The recent National Economic and social research Council report provides valuable information which will be of considerable assistance in the preparation of the Green Paper.