Brian O'Shea
Ceist:29 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Health the financial allocation for health education and health promotion for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Health Education Funding.
Expenditure on health education in the years 1986 and 1987 arose in respect of the former Health Education Bureau and the health boards. Details are set down in the tabular statement below:
|
Year |
Expenditure on Health Education |
|
£m |
|
|
1986 |
2.275 |
|
1987 |
2.290* |
* £2 million of the expenditure in 1987 was funded from the national lottery fund.
The functions of the bureau transferred in 1988 to the newly established health promotion unit within my Department. The transfer generated significant savings in overhead costs, many of which were absorbed into the Department's existing overheads expenditure. These savings are reflected in the expenditure on health promotion in the years 1988 to 1990.
In addition, expenditure on health education by health boards which was previously funded through the Health Education. Bureau has largely been absorbed into the overall allocations to the boards. This is also reflected in the allocations which are set out below:
|
Year |
Expenditure on Health Promotion £m |
|
£m |
|
|
1988 |
1.350 (incl.£151,000 lottery) |
|
1989 |
1.413 (incl. £151,000 lottery) |
|
1990 |
1.597 (incl. £151,000 lottery) |
The Deputy will be aware that there has been no reduction in activities in the area of health promotion over the last five years. In fact the health promotion unit's work programme for the current year is a particularly heavy one and reflects a broad intersectoral orientation.
The programme includes the development by the unit of a national strategic framework for health promotion and the formulation of a national policy on alcohol under the aegis of the advisory council on health promotion.
A new anti-smoking campaign was launched during the year and the campaign to eliminate measles, mumps and rubella was continued. The unit is addressing the drug problem through a multi-disciplinary community based programme called "Drug Questions — Local Answers?". In co-operation with the National Youth Council the unit is currently completing the development of a special programme on drink awareness and youth.
In co-operation with the Department of Education the unit has developed comprehensive resource materials on AIDS for use in schools and these will be available in the autumn. Further school based programmes which are being supported are a health education project in schools throughout the Mid-Western Health Board area and the development of health education materials to support teachers.
One school initiative of particular importance was the very successful national lifestyle poster competition for primary and post-primary schools which helped provide a new health education focus in schools.
In co-operation with our colleagues in Northern Ireland, the unit is developing resource materials for a community based programme on healthy lifestyles, currently being piloted in the Mid-Western Health Board.
Financial support is provided by the unit for the community based Kilkenny health project — a pilot programme to modify risk factors for heart disease. The unit is also supporting a range of voluntary organisations providing financial and other assistance for health promotion activities and is also continuing to distribute to the public a wide range of health promotion materials.
This list is not exhaustive but merely illustrative of the various health promotion activities in which the unit is currently involved and I am sure the Deputy will agree that, together, they represent an active and comprehensive health promotion programme.