Vol. 504 No. 2
215 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Health and Children when the report commissioned by the Eastern Health Board and his Department regarding vaccination of mentally handicapped clients with hepatitis B vaccine will become available; and the reason it has been unavailable to date in view of the fact that it is with the board but remains unavailable to mentally handicapped institutions. [11421/99]
216 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of funding provided in 1999 for the provision of hepatitis B vaccination for clients within the mentally handicapped service; the amount he will provide in the 2000 Estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11422/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.
The immunisation advisory committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland recommends immunisation against hepatitis B for patients and carers in institutions for persons with mental handicap. Additional revenue funding of £300,000 was provided to the health boards and voluntary mental handicap agencies by my Department in 1995 to enable the provision of hepatitis B vaccination for staff working in the mental handicap services and for client groups considered to be at risk. This funding has continued to be provided in the agencies' budgets. The question of additional funding in 1999 for the provision of hepatitis B vaccinations for certain at-risk groups is currently being examined by my Department. I am not yet in a position to comment on the level of funding which will be available to my Department in 2000.
In June 1997 the health boards and voluntary mental handicap agencies were requested to review ongoing arrangements to ensure that all at-risk clients have been identified and scheduled for immunisation. As a result of this request the public health department of the Eastern Health Board undertook a review of the current hepatitis B vaccination programme. This report is now being submitted to the health board management for their consideration. This is the procedure followed by the board in relation to all such reports. I understand that it is the intention of the board to make copies of the report available to the mental handicap agencies as soon as possible.
