Written Answers Nos. 521-533
521. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if, based on current individual emergency department data, a target has been set for each emergency departments to reduce the proportion of persons leaving prior to assessment as recommended by the national clinical programme for the assessment and management of persons presenting to emergency departments following self-harm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16295/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Clinical Care Programme for management of self-harm presentations to Emergency Departments is a part of the National Clinical Programme for Mental Health. This programme specifically addresses the care and treatment required by people who present to the Emergency Departments (ED) of acute hospitals following an episode of self-harm or with prominent suicidal ideation. It aims to provide a standardised specialist response to all such people and, by so doing, reduce the numbers leaving Emergency Departments without an assessment, link people into appropriate care, involve families and friends as appropriate with an overall aim of reducing repetition which is known to be associated with an increased risk of completed suicide. The continuation of this programme is identified as a priority in the HSE National Service Plan 2017.
In relation to targets set within each ED to reduce the proportion of persons leaving prior to assessment, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
522. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if all persons that arrive in the emergency department are triaged for mental health difficulties in view of the evidence that mental health triage scales reduce waiting times and reduce the proportion of persons that leave the hospital before being seen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16296/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra523. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if 95% of all persons that present with self-harm to the emergency department will either be admitted to a hospital bed or discharged within six hours of presentation and 100% of treatment dispositions will be completed within nine hours, this time to be calculated from when fit for interview by the metal health practitioner, in view of the recommendations from the capital national clinical programme for the assessment and management of patients presenting to emergency departments following self-harm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16297/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra524. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if mental health practitioners assessing persons that present with self-harm will have appropriate training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16298/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra525. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if the national clinical programme for the assessment and management of persons presenting to emergency departments following self-harm is up and running; the number of key performance indicators following self-harm that are being met; if these key performances are not being met, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16299/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra526. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if the national clinical programme for the assessment and management of persons presenting to emergency departments following self harm is in practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16300/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 to 526, inclusive, together.
The Government is committed to dealing with the current levels of suicide and deliberate self-harm, of which an important part is provision of appropriate services within the hospital setting.
With regard to people that may present to the Emergency Department with suicidal ideation or self-harm, the HSE Mental Health Division, through the Programme for Government, has now ensured that all Level 4 hospitals have a Liaison Psychiatry Service available on the site of the acute hospital. This service provides prompt assessments in the Emergency Department. Most Level 3 hospitals have either a service in place or have been allocated one through the Programme for Government. For the latter, recruitment is taking place and where the liaison service is not yet in place the local service has an alternative arrangement whereby the person is assessed by a liaison nurse or NCHD and the consultant on duty for that day provides advice on management.
In addition to this, the National Clinical Programme (NCP) for the Assessment and Management of Self-Harm in Emergency Departments began in December 2014. This Clinical Programme is a part of an overall strategy and specifically addresses the care and treatment required by people who present to the Emergency Department of acute hospitals following an episode of self-harm or with prominent suicidal ideation. It aims to provide a standardised specialist response to all such people and, by so doing, reduce the numbers leaving Emergency Departments without an assessment, link people into appropriate care, and involve families and friends as appropriate with an overall aim of reducing repetition of self-harm which is known to be associated with an increased risk of completed suicide. The continuation of this programme is identified as a priority in the HSE National Service Plan 2017. This NCP has trained and deployed 33 senior mental health nurses at Clinical Nurse Specialist level to Emergency Departments around the country. This facilitates an onsite, rapid response to those who have self-harmed and/or are suicidal. It supplements and works with the Liaison Psychiatry Service to provide a bespoke response to those who are suicidal or have self-harmed.
With regard to the specific information requested, as these are service matters these queries have been referred to the HSE for reply.
527. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of suicide crisis assessment nurses that are in place for the Dublin south west area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16301/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra528. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the provisions in place for persons that present with suicidal behaviour, self-harm or suicidal ideation in Dublin south west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16302/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together.
As these are service issues, I am referring them to the HSE for direct reply.
529. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if there is now an information system in place to account for public expenditure on mental health care in view of the fact that it is ten years from the publication of A Vision for Change and that a group (details supplied) has been calling for an information technology based national mental health system since its budget submission in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16303/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
530. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [16306/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
531. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will increase the capacity of the HSE to conduct medicated food testing in order to benefit persons such as those that suffer from PKU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16332/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the HSE have responsibility in this area I have asked them to respond directly to the Deputy.
532. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the drug treatment services available in the midlands area generally and specifically in counties Westmeath and Longford; the services that have ceased in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16340/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
533. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the mental health services available to young persons in the midlands area generally and specifically in counties Westmeath and Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16341/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
