Batt O'Keeffe
Ceist:7 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he intends to make direct access available from social workers within his Department to Accident and Emergency services in hospitals. [11275/96]
Céisteanna—Questions. Oral Questions. - Accident and Emergency Services.
(Limerick East): I understand that the Deputy is referring to a recommendation in the report of the working group on the re-organisation of accident and emergency services in Cork.
As the Deputy will be aware, this group was established by the Southern Health Board in May 1995 to review the organisation and delivery of accident and emergency services in Cork. The group met on a number of occasions under the chairmanship of Mr. Stephen Cusack, accident and emergency consultant at Cork University Hospital. The group completed its report in March 1996 and the draft report is currently being considered by the Southern Health Board. I expect to receive a copy of this report in the near future and I will then be in a position to examine the recommendations in detail. The question of making social worker services directly accessible to accident and emergency departments will be considered at that stage.
The Minister will recognise the importance of having dedicated social workers attached to accident and emergency departments in each of the major hospitals. He has pin-pointed the difficulties arising from domestic violence and the lack of support services, particularly in University Hospital, Cork. Does he not think, given the increase in domestic violence and drug abuse, that such a policy is now an absolute necessity?
(Limerick East): When I read the question originally I was not sure of the Deputy's direction. I understand there is a joint emergency plan in Cork, produced and published by the Cork joint emergency planning group on behalf of two divisions of the Garda Síochána, the Southern Health Board, Cork Corporation and the county council. The plan was issued for the guidance of personnel in organisations who may be involved in a major emergency, with the aim of providing a basis for standard procedures and co-ordinated effort. Those who read the Deputy's question and put the file together for me were under the misapprehension that the Deputy was referring to the Cork emergency plan and wanted social workers involved with the local authorities, the health boards and the Garda. That is why the answer is vague.
I now understand the Deputy is asking that in circumstances where a victim of family violence comes in the middle of the night to the accident and emergency department of an acute hospital there would be some level of counselling available, as well as a medical service. We misinterpreted the Deputy's question, and I have not been briefed to answer it in the way I would have done. If the Deputy puts it down again for written answer I will get him an answer or, alternatively, I will communicate with the Deputy by way of letter.
It has been brought to my attention that there is a deficiency in the service. In one case a child who was brought to the accident and emergency department with marks on the body passed through the system and was again back at that hospital with disastrous consequences. It was felt that if a dedicated social worker were in place such an incident could have been avoided. I will refer the particular case to the Minister privately because it is of an extremely serious nature which the Minister would want to investigate fully.