Written Answers Nos. 290-301
290. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of establishing an independent monitoring mechanism to report on the progress of the implementation of A Vision for Change and mental health reform. [12096/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn January 2006, the Government adopted the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy 'A Vision for Change' as the basis for the future development of mental health services in Ireland. In March 2006, the Government, in line with the recommendation in AVFC, established the First Independent Monitoring Group for a three year period to monitor progress on the implementation of the report recommendations. The term of the first group ceased in April 2009 and in June 2009 the Government appointed the Second Independent Monitoring Group for a further three year period. The Second group delivered their final report in 2011 and subsequently the Government dissolved the group as the three year term had come to an end.
'A Vision for Change' comes to the end of its 10-year term this year and plans for its review are underway. My Department will shortly commission an international expert and evidence-based review of mental health services to inform the review.
291. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health his plans to implement a regulatory framework for psychological therapies and to establish a statutory regime for governing the registration of counsellors and therapists; and the estimated cost of this. [12097/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulation of the 14 professions currently designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 is being implemented on a phased basis as the registration board and register for each profession is established. Currently 9 of the 14 designated professions have registration boards and registers have been established for 7 of them.
Psychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister for Health may, by regulation, designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met.
In accordance with the Act, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council has been consulted on the question of regulating counsellors and psychotherapists. Its detailed report on the matter is being examined carefully in the Department of Health with a view to deciding the next steps in the coming months. These steps will, I envisage, include a wider round of consultation involving the various professional bodies and other interested parties.
While the profession or professions of counsellor and psychotherapist are not specifically designated under the 2005 Act, there are various regulatory controls on many counsellors and psychotherapists operating in Ireland.
The profession of psychologist, for example, is a designated profession under the 2005 Act which means that those psychologists who are counsellors and/or psychotherapists will begin to be regulated when the Psychologists Registration Board, which is due to be established later this year, opens its register.
Psychiatrists, some of whom practice psychotherapy, are regulated under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. Also, counsellors/therapists working in the publicly funded health sector are required to have minimum qualifications set by the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004.
While CORU’s annual running costs are currently being mainly funded by the Exchequer, the intention is that CORU’s regulatory system will, in time, be fully self-funding through the annual fees payable by its registrants. This is the case with all other health professional regulators.
292. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologists currently employed by the health service in primary care; and the cost to the Exchequer of these positions. [12098/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up on the matter with them.
293. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the new services which would be required in order to end the admission of children and adolescents to adult inpatient units; and the estimated cost of this to the Exchequer. [12099/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe reduction in the numbers of children admitted to adult psychiatric units has been a focus for the HSE Mental Health Services over recent years. Progress in this area has been significant, as evidenced by the fact that the number of such admissions to adult units in 2008 was 247, and that the number of such admissions declined to 89 at the end of 2014. The trend was reversed slightly with a slight increase of 6 at the end of 2015. In March 2016, 98.7% of bed days used were in Child and Adolescent Acute Inpatient Units, an improvement on the 97.2% in February. Performance continues to be above the target of 95%, indicating that where a child has been admitted to an adult acute inpatient unit, the length of stay has been kept to a minimum.
Figures for 2015 indicate that there were 95 admissions of children to adult psychiatric units. It is important to note that the number of admissions does not necessarily equate to the number of children admitted, as a child may be admitted on one or more occasions in any given year. In 2015, there was a total of 356 CAMHS admissions, of which 261 (73%) were to age-appropriate units and 95 (27%) to Adult Units. In the National Service Plan 2016 the HSE have set a target of 95% of admissions of admission of children and adolescents to adult in-patients units, while allowing for some operational flexibility surrounding emergency placements in Adult Units. The HSE continues to monitor all CAMHS admissions to adult units.
The issue raised by the Deputy is an action for improvement in the HSE Service Plan for 2016, in line with available resources. The objective of further reducing the number of admissions to adult units involves continued improvements to CAMHS service provision, including additional CAMHS acute bed capacity, enhanced community based supports, and ongoing roll out of the Standard Operational Procedures for CAMHS nationally, introduced by the HSE last year. This issue is being addressed in the current year in the context of the additional funding being provided to develop Mental Health services in 2016, including a more integrated approach to CAMHS provision overall with other care programmes such as Disabilities or Primary Care. In this context, is not possible to specifically cost the issue raised by the Deputy.
294. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health his plans to establish a national advocacy service for mental health clients under 18 years of age and any expected funding this service might require. [12101/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Expert Group Review of the Mental Health Act 2001, which was published in 2015, recognises that children and adolescents detained under the Mental Health Act 2001 are in a particularly vulnerable situation and that it is appropriate that they be given every support. On that basis the Group members recommend that children, their families and/or guardians should have advocacy services available to them. This recommendation, like all others in the Report, is being examined in the context of the preparation of the General Scheme of an amending Bill which is underway at present.
295. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend the regulation and inspection of community-based mental health care services and any expected costs this might incur. [12102/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Inspector of Mental Health Services may already visit and inspect at any time any Approved Centre registered under the 2001 Act, or other premises where mental health services are being provided.
The future role of the Inspectorate, particularly in the context of inspection, was examined by the Expert Group Review of the Mental Health Act 2001 which was published in 2015 and which highlighted the need for Inspectorates to be flexible in order to more appropriately deal with the increasingly crosscutting nature of service provision. The development of a risk based approach to inspection to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency in the use of scarce resources was also identified by the Expert Group.
The Group, on this basis, recommended that inspections of approved centres should be proportionate, based on risk and should take place at least once every three years. This may require annual inspections if the risk profile merits such scrutiny. In addition, the Group recommended that community services should be registered and inspected at reasonable intervals using a risk based system starting with all community mental health teams.
Work is ongoing at official level in drawing up the General Scheme of an amending mental health bill to reflect the recommendations of the Expert Group in revised legislation. The recommendations relating to future inspection will form part of the General Scheme.
296. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing free general practitioner care for persons undergoing long-term mental health treatment. [12106/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for medical/GP visit cards are determined by the Health Service Executive. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure and every application must be assessed on that basis. Under the legislation, having a particular illness, in itself, does not establish eligibility for a medical or GP visit card and therefore, the medical conditions of applicants for this scheme are not monitored on that basis. Where the applicant's income is within the income guidelines, a medical card or GP visit card will be awarded.
In the absence of information on the numbers and the individual income of all persons undergoing long term mental health treatment, it is not possible to calculate the cost of providing free GP care for this cohort.
297. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing free primary care to all persons who require long-term mental health treatment; and if he will abolish the prescription levy for this group. [12107/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for medical/GP visit cards are determined by the Health Service Executive. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure and every application must be assessed on that basis. Under the legislation, having a particular illness, in itself, does not establish eligibility for a medical or GP visit card and therefore, the medical conditions of applicants for this scheme are not monitored on that basis. Where the applicant's income is within the income guidelines, a medical card or GP visit card will be awarded.
In the absence of information on the numbers and the individual income of all persons undergoing long term mental health treatment, it is not possible to calculate the cost of providing free primary care for this cohort.
The prescription charge is a matter which I intend to consider in the context of the implementation of the health commitments in the Programme for Partnership Government and having regard to the funding available to facilitate such measures.
298. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if, and when, a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12131/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
299. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health why there are no respite services for a person (details supplied) for the past three years; and when the person will receive same. [12139/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
300. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of employing an additional ten speech and language therapists, ten physiotherapists, ten occupational therapists and ten clinical psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12148/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up on the matter with them.
301. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of personal assistant hours currently provided by the State; the cost associated with same; the estimated cost over one year of increasing personal assistant hours by 500,000 hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12149/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
In the 2016 National Service Plan, the Health Service Executive's (HSE's) priority is to protect the level of services provided in 2015 and to provide 1.3 million hours of Personal Assistant services at a cost of approximately €30 million and 2.6 million hours of home support at a cost of €52 million, to over 2,000 adults with a disability.
As the Deputy's question regarding the cost of increasing Personal Assistant hours relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
