Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004
411 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the guidelines in place to ensure that all patients who are in residential psychiatric care receive eye tests on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9549/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn his report for the year ended 31 December 2001, the Inspector of Mental Hospitals expressed concern that psychiatric patients enjoy poorer health than the general population. The inspector stated that it is incumbent on service deliverers to frequently assess the physical health of in-patients. Regular eye-testing would obviously form part of such assessments. Patients should be encouraged to partake in health screening programmes and health education programmes should be directed equally at in-patients and community residents, as at the general populations. The inspector stated that all patients residing in community residences are registered with GPs under the general medical services scheme and carers should ensure that patients visit their GPs frequently for routine physical appraisal.
