Vol. 517 No. 4
199 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself as to the adequacy of the levels of child health care available in schools at both primary and post-primary levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10162/00]
The provision of school health services, as an integral component of child health services, is the statutory responsibility of the health boards. Under the 1970 Health Act, a health board shall make available without charge a health examination and treatment services for pupils attending a national school, or a school which is not a national school at the discretion of the health board.
As a result of the identification of the need for a review of child health services in the health strategy, "Shaping a Healthier Future", the chief executive officers of the health boards initiated a review of the services in question. This review resulted in the recent publication of the report "Best Health for Children" which covers children in the 0-12 year age range.
The report contains a wide range of recommendations on all aspects of child health services. In so far as the school health service is concerned, the thrust of the report is for a more streamlined service which would be operated in a standardised way in all areas and which would be evaluated regularly to ensure that it is meeting the evolving health care needs of schoolchildren. Specific recommendations cover issues such as the management of the school health service, the roles of health service professionals, teachers and parents, the core programme for child health surveillance, meeting the needs of children with problems and provision of appropriate referral and treatment services.
The chief executive officers have established a national conjoint child health committee and filled the post of national child health co-ordinator for the purpose of overseeing implementation of the recommendations of the report in the health boards. In addition, the national conjoint child health committee has recently commenced a review of adolescent health needs which will include examination of the health needs of the early school leaver and the educationally disadvantaged.
