Róisín Shortall
Ceist:154 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress, if any, made by the working group on services for the disturbed mentally ill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13161/98]
Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.
My Department is continuing with the preparation of a discussion document on the care of the disturbed mentally ill. Due to other priorities, this work is not yet finalised but it is the intention to have the document completed at an early date and circulated to relevant agencies.
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:155 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress, if any, made in implementing the recommendations made by the inspector of mental hospitals for the year ending 31 December 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13162/98]
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:164 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress, if any, made by the health boards to achieve the establishment of both additional community based residential accommodation of approximately one community based residential place per 1,000 of population in each catchment area and the provision of 1.5 day places, a combination of day hospital and day centre places, per 1,000 of population as recommended in the 1996 report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals. [13204/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 164 together.
The inspector of Mental Hospitals has a statutory obligation to inspect each psychiatric hospital and unit in the country at least once a year and to submit a report to the Minister in this respect. In his report for 1996, the inspector highlights and is complimentary of further improvements which have taken place in the mental health services. The inspector notes that the continued development in 1996 of a comprehensive and integrated community-based mental health service was characterised by the ongoing reduction in the number of patients resident in psychiatric hospitals through rehabilitation of long-stay patients, the transfer of acute psychiatric hospital care to acute psychiatric units in general hospitals and the further extension of community-based services.
The recommended planning norms for the development of community facilities are set out in the policy document for the development of mental health services Planning for the Future published in 1984 and are also included in appendix 2 of the 1996 inspector's report. These planning norms are continuously reviewed by the inspector. The norms outlined in the 1996 report are higher than those recommended in Planning for the Future and are intended to reflect the need to increase places in community facilities with the continuing transfer of in-patient services to more appropriate facilities in the community. Health boards are continuing to develop community facilities in line with the higher planning norms. In his report, the inspector also makes recommendations for the improvement of services in each catchment area. These are reviewed and implemented by the health boards on an ongoing basis.