Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 February 2019
82. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the outcome of the evaluation of the implementation process for the single assessment tool; if a copy of the report will be provided; the status of the roll-out of the single assessment tool nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5337/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Single Assessment Tool is a comprehensive IT based standardised assessment used to assess the health and social care needs of people (primarily those over the age of 65 years) who may be looking for home care or long-term care support from the HSE. The SAT uses the interRAI assessment system.
InterRAI is a not-for-profit organisation consisting of a collaborative network of clinicians and researchers in over 30 countries, including Canada, USA, Australia, Belgium, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany and New Zealand.
The interRAI Home Care assessments which are being implemented in Ireland are designed for use with older people in the home, in acute care, and other community-based settings. The implementation of a standardised assessment which guides and informs care planning also facilitates equity and transparency.
A national pilot of the SAT interRAI project was conducted in three locations from May 2016 to April 2017 Beaumont Hospital; Tallaght Hospital and University Galway Hospital. Multidisciplinary staff in these hospitals were nominated and trained to become SAT assessors. Training for other staff members who required knowledge of the system and would be using the information but not completing assessments was also provided in the three locations. Almost 600 assessments were completed by the assessors with older people in the three locations during the pilot. A pilot report was completed in December 2017. This report is available and I have attached a copy for the Deputy.
The project is being implemented nationally since the conclusion of the pilot. InterRAI assessments are being implemented nationally for older people who are seeking access to Home Support Services and to the Nursing Home Support Scheme, so that care is provided in the most appropriate setting based on the individual’s identified needs.
The current contract with the IT Vendor supporting the system is about to conclude and a new procurement process is already underway to source an IT Vendor for the continued implementation of SAT interRAI assessment system.
To date, the progress on the roll out is as follows:
- SAT Clinical leads have been recruited and are in place in 6 of the 9 CHOs, with the recruitment process almost complete in 2018 in the remaining CHOs. A Train the Trainer approach is in place with Clinical leads providing training to assessors (clinicians) and non- assessors (other healthcare personnel) on the use of the interRAI system in clinical practice;
- Nationally 140 assessors and 602 non-assessors have been trained to use the interRAI SAT system. A further 1402 staff have attended information sessions;
- Over 3,000 older people in both community and hospital locations have received interRAI assessments.
Further information on the programme is contained in the following link:
