Written Answers Nos. 71 - 81
71. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to deliver a comprehensive mental health education package for schools and to work with the Minister of Education and Skills to improve school environments in order to improve mental health for young persons. [4632/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEducation is key to improving the mental health, resilience and emotional well-being of our young people. Last year saw the launch of the first Action Plan for Education by the Department of Education and Skills. This included a section on Mental Health and Wellbeing. The aims in this section were set to roll out a national programme to support the implementation of Wellbeing Guidelines to all primary and post-primary schools; to implement Wellbeing at Junior Cycle; and to publish the 2015 Lifeskills survey, providing information on how schools cater for the wellbeing of their students. This plan outlines hundreds of actions and sub-actions to be implemented across 2016-2019, with timelines and lead responsibility assigned. I will be working closely with my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills on this issue to ensure these actions are implemented. With this in mind, for further details on school-based mental health and well-being, the Department of Education would be better placed to answer such queries.
However, the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills do have a strong history of working together to support youth mental health.
In 2013, the Department of Education and Skills, the HSE, and the Department of Health jointly developed Well-Being in Post Primary Schools Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention. This was followed in 2015 by the publication of Guidelines setting out a framework for mental health promotion in primary schools.
In 2015, the Government launched Connecting for Life, Ireland's National Strategy to Reduce Suicide with the aim of reducing suicide and self-harm over 2015-2020. The Strategy sets out a vision where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and well-being. It will provide community-based organisations with guidelines, protocols and training on effective suicide prevention.
One of the main goals in Connecting for Life is to target approaches to reduce suicidal behaviour and improve mental health among priority groups, including young people. Several key actions have been identified to further this goal in the Education sector, including:
- Support the implementation of the relevant guidelines for mental health promotion and suicide prevention across primary and post-primary schools;
- Guide and encourage the implementation of the relevant policies and plans in schools, including support for Student Support Teams and for critical incident management;
- Work with the HSE to develop national guidance for higher education institutions in relation to suicide risk and critical incident response;
- Implement the National Anti-bullying Action Plan including online and homophobic bullying;
- Support all junior and senior schools to implement a new Wellbeing programme; and
- Deliver early intervention and psychological support service for young people at primary care level.
These actions are part of the overall policy objectives of the Department of Education and Skills. They are supported by my Department and the HSE through the inter-agency implementation arrangements provided for in Connecting for Life and overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform.
73. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Health if there will be any increase in the number of home help hours provided in 2017 in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4694/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
74. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the proportion of the €9 million new funding for hospital services nationally in 2017 that will go to Tallaght hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4681/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to respond to increasing demand for hospital services, Budget 2017 provides an additional €118 million for acute hospital services in 2017. This includes €9m, which has been allocated to expand existing, or develop new acute hospital services in 2017.
Of this funding, €109 million will be used to maintain our existing level of service to take into account the costs associated with our aging demographics, meeting increased demand for medicines, medical technology and procedures in hospitals. This funding will also provide for the costs associated with the restoration of payments to staff under the Lansdowne Road Agreement.
The setting of budgets for hospital groups and individual hospitals, including Tallaght Hospital is currently being finalised by the HSE as part of the development of hospital group operational plans.
75. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health if there will be any increase in the number of home help hours provided in 2017 in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4686/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
76. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) concerning unsafe staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4260/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are many initiatives currently underway to improve nursing and midwifery staffing levels throughout the country. The number of nursing and midwifery staff increased by 1,650 whole time equivalents between December 2013 and December 2016, notwithstanding intense global competition for our nurses and midwives. The HSE is offering permanent posts to 2016 degree programme graduates, and full time permanent contracts to those in temporary posts. The HSE is also focused on converting agency staffing to permanent posts. Its National Recruitment Service is actively operating rolling nursing recruitment campaigns. The campaigns encompass General, Mental Health, Intellectual Disability and Registered Children's Nurses, and also Midwives. The Acute Hospital Groups have advertised a number of Emergency Department nursing posts and are currently in the recruitment process.
The HSE ran a 3 day open recruitment event over the Christmas holiday period in Dr Steevens’ Hospital for nurses and midwives from all disciplines who are interested in working in the Irish Public Health Service. 220 attended the event. 115 nursing and midwifery candidates were deemed successful and panelled following interview. The files for successful candidates have passed to the contracting unit within National Recruitment Service, Manorhamilton. This event will be followed by a series of careers events for nurses throughout 2017 with the next one scheduled for 31 March 2017. A relocation package of up to €1,500 continues to be available to nurses who return from overseas.
Discussions between the INMO, SIPTU, my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the HSE have been ongoing over the past week in relation to nursing and midwifery recruitment and retention and the talks are continuing. The management side supplied a joint proposal document setting out a number of specific measures to attract and retain nursing staff, in addition to a funded workforce plan. The Government are already committed to 1,000 nursing posts in 2017 as part of the Programme for Partnership Government. These are fully funded and approved posts. As part of the engagement management are committed to maximising the number of additional posts that can be provided in 2017.
77. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Health the targets in place for child and adolescent mental health service teams staff levels in CHO 6 in 2017 to bring them closer to the target set in A Vision for Change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4695/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
78. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to improve ambulance turnaround time at emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4648/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
79. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the SouthDoc service will be maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4524/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraGeneral practitioners contracted under the General Medical Services scheme must make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum/deputy, for emergencies outside normal practice hours. While there is no obligation on GPs to participate in GP out-of-hours cooperatives as a means of meeting this contractual requirement, such services have been developed and expanded over time and are now an essential part of our primary care services helping to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, urgent care needs are met in the primary care setting and I welcome this.
The HSE is currently undertaking a review of the existing GP out-of-hours services. A steering group was established to examine this issue and it is expected that a final report will be available in Quarter 1 this year. The HSE National Service Plan 2017 commits to implementing the recommendations of the review.
As the specific question in relation to SouthDoc is a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
80. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the estimated capital cost of the planned new facility at a nursing home (details supplied) using the public private partnership model; and if his Department has sought costings to have it constructed by way of a direct tender for design and build. [4268/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health care projects. Therefore the Executive has been requested to reply directly to you on this matter.
