Written Answers Nos. 1091-1103
1091. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health when the Government will provide intervenors for older persons who may develop combined hearing and vision problems as part of the aging process to assist them to take an active part in everyday life carrying out such functions as assistance with shopping, sorting out their bills or intervening at a medical appointment. [20596/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive Home Help Service is a mainstream community service which provides a number of hours of assistance to individuals with personal care and essential domestic duties. Home Care Packages are enhanced supports, over and above existing mainstream Home Help Service. The HSE’s National Service Plan for 2017 provides for a target of 10.57 million Home Help Hours to support about 49,000 people, 16,750 Home Care Packages and 190 Intensive Home Care Packages for clients with very complex needs. Services are provided on the basis of assessed care need, carried out by health care professionals and there is no means testing.
There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to increase funding for home support services, to improve these supports, to introduce a uniform homecare service so all recipients can receive a quality support, seven days per week where possible, and to review the management, operation and funding of national home help services. There are no plans at present to introduce a system along the lines proposed by the Deputy.
1093. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that deaf-blind persons have access to assistive technologies that facilitate their access to information and expression (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20598/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
1100. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health the progress of the commitments in the programme for Government on mental health issues. [18284/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Programme for Partnership Government, a wide range of commitments to improve the mental health services were given. Progress is being made in a number of areas.
Stage one of the review of mental health policy has been concluded and the Expert Evidence Review report produced will help to determine the policy direction for a revision of A Vision for Change. I will be appointing an Oversight Group shortly to oversee the next stage of this work.
The National Taskforce on Youth Mental Health has been meeting monthly over the last year. As part of my commitment to ensuring that the voices of children and young people are at the heart of the work of the Taskforce, a series of consultations with young people are taking place.
A key commitment in the Programme relates to the provision of 24/7 mental health services. I am currently considering HSE proposals for an implementation plan for the provision of a 7-day service response across all HSE mental health service areas. This should be produced in the coming weeks.
In terms of funding, the Government has increased the Mental Health Budget from €826 million in 2016 to over €850 million this year. This will enable the continued development of a range of services including Adult, Child & Adolescent, Forensic and Specialist services in mental health. As part of this, funding of up to €6 million will be made available to meet the mental health needs of the homeless. In addition, €5 million has been provided to extend the Counselling In Primary Care (CIPC) programme to under 18s and the recruitment of 114 Assistant Psychologists is expected to take place later this year.
In addition, substantial funding has been provided in 2017 for Mental Health capital projects, most notably to commence the construction of the new forensic hospital at Portrane this year.
Many of the above initiatives are contingent upon the recruitment of the necessary staff. While difficulties in this area have been well-documented, mental health staffing has increased by around 200 over the last year to 9,717 WTEs. To increase the supply of key personnel, we have also funded an extra 130 undergraduate places for psychiatric nurses.
Finally, work is continuing on the preparation of the general scheme of a bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001 based on the recommendations of the 2015 Expert Review Group on the 2001 Act.
1101. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the details of the consultation process of a home-care scheme; the steps he will take to support the Share the Care campaign in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17458/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health is currently engaged in a detailed process to determine what type of home care scheme is best for Ireland, in relation to both regulation and funding.
An important step in this process is a public consultation process which I will be launching at the end of May. The purpose of this consultation is to allow all those who have views on this topic to have their say, including older people themselves, their families, and healthcare workers.
In relation to the share the care campaign, the Department recognises the important role played by Family Carers Ireland in raising awareness of the challenges faced by carers and liaises on an ongoing basis with the Group.
Senior staff from the Department and the HSE addressed and held discussions with carers’ representatives at the Annual Carers' forum, hosted by the Department of Social Protection on 25 April.
1102. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [20607/17]
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.
1103. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of children in each county and each HSE area who are awaiting assessment under early intervention, in tabular form; the length of time they have been waiting for assessments and programmes to be put in place; and the number of staff who have not been replaced, either temporarily or permanently, in each area. [20609/17]
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.
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.
