NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

Wednesday 29 August 2007

Written Answers to Questions

Education
Finance and Personnel
Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Social Development

Education

Ulster-Scots Expenditure

Mr Nelson McCausland asked the Minister of Education how much money her department has spent in relation to Ulster-Scots, in each year since the Council of Europe Charter for Regional or Minority Languages came into force in the United Kingdom.

(AQW 360/07)

The Minister of Education (Ms Ruane): I list below expenditure in relation to Ulster-Scots since July 2001.

Financial Year	Expenditure
2001/2002	£00.00
2002/2003	£00.00
2003/2004	£69.95
2004/2005	£00.00
2005/2006	£49,000.00
2006/2007	£50.61

Expenditure on Legal Fees by CCMS and ELB's

Mr George Savage asked the Minister of Education to detail, for each year since 2000, the expenditure on legal fees, broken down by (i) each Education and Library Board; and (ii) the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools on (a) appeals from parents against decisions regarding placement as a result of a statement of special needs; (b) suspension of pupils from primary, post-primary and special schools; (c) grievance procedures from teachers; (d) grievance procedures from school principals; and (e) disciplinary action involving administrative or advisory staff.

(AQW 1197/07)

Ms Ruane: I have been advised that legal fees incurred for each year since 2000, broken down by i) each Education and Library Board and (ii) the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools in relation to (a) appeals from parents against decisions regarding placement as a result of a statement of special needs; (b) suspension of pupils from primary, post-primary and special schools; (c) grievance procedures from teachers; (d) grievance procedures from school principals; and (e) disciplinary action involving administrative or advisory staff, are as follows:

a. Appeals from parents against decisions regarding placement as a result of a statement of special needs.

AUTHORITY	Financial Year 2000/2001	Financial Year 2001/2002	Financial Year 2002/2003	Financial Year 2003/2004	Financial Year 2004/2005	Financial Year 2005/2006	Financial Year 2006/2007
BELB			£4,700.00	£2,350.00	£750.00		£1,468.75
NEELB				£1,468.75
SEELB							£4,112.50
SELB				£4,112.50		£3,525.00
WELB
CCMS*
TOTAL			£4,700.00	£7,931.25	£750.00	£3,525.00	£5,581.25

The fees detailed above are in respect of legal fees incurred in respect of the appeals to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal. The figures exclude legal expenditure incurred in respect of judicial review fees since the latter are not appeals.

*As an area Board maintains the statement of special needs regardless or the type of school attended, (controlled, maintained, voluntary grammar, grant maintained, integrated) CCMS would not incur any legal fees in this area.

b. Legal fees incurred in relation to suspensions of pupils from primary,

post primary and special schools.

 

AUTHORITY	Financial Year 2000/2001	Financial Year 2001/2002	Financial Year 2002/2003	Financial Year 2003/2004	Financial Year 2004/2005	Financial Year 2005/2006	Financial Year 2006/2007
BELB
Primary
Post Primary							£587.50
Special
TOTAL							£587.50
SEELB
Primary
Post Primary					£4,700.00	£4,503.77
Special
TOTAL					£4,700.00	£4,503.77
CCMS
Primary					£43,539.12		£13,963.37
Post Primary				£4,347.00	£10,079.29	£10,269.50	£8,838.63
TOTAL				£4,347.00	£53,618.41	£10,269.50	£22,802.00
GRAND TOTALS				£4,347.00	£58,318.41	£14,773.27	£23,389.50

The information supplied for the Education and Library Boards has been supplied by the Education and Library Boards in-house Solicitors who act for the controlled sector in cases of this nature. There were no legal fees incurred by the NEELB, SELB and WELB since 2000, in relation to suspensions of pupils from primary, post primary and special schools. The information supplied in respect of CCMS is derived from legal bills of costs supplied by CCMS’s external solicitors, and in one instance the Children’s Law Centre, to the Chief Legal Adviser for approval.

c. Legal fees incurred in respect of grievance procedures from teachers.

None of the Boards maintain records in respect of in-school grievances raised by teachers which are a matter for the school principal and individual boards of governors in controlled schools. Such matters normally do not incur expenditure on external legal fees. Boards may however, on occasion, incur legal costs in respect of unresolved grievances from teachers who have taken legal action, such as a claim before the Office of the Industrial Tribunal & Fair Employment Tribunal, on the basis, by way of example only, of sex discrimination, constructive dismissal, disability discrimination, racial discrimination etc. Whilst Boards would hold information in respect of the legal fees incurred in cases of this nature, cases are not further subcategorised and therefore such costs can not be readily separately identified.

CCMS have confirmed that they have not incurred any costs associated with grievance procedures for teachers.

d. Legal fees incurred in respect of grievance procedures from school principals.

None of the Boards maintain records in respect of in-school grievances from school principals which are a matter for individual boards of governors in controlled schools. Such matters within the controlled sector normally do not incur expenditure on external legal fees. Boards may however, on occasion, incur legal costs in respect of unresolved grievances from principals who have taken legal action, such as a claim before the Office of the Industrial Tribunal & Fair Employment Tribunal, on the basis, by way of example only, of sex discrimination, constructive dismissal, disability discrimination, racial discrimination etc. Whilst Boards would hold information in respect of the legal fees incurred in cases of this nature, cases are not further subcategorised and therefore such costs can not be readily separately identified.

CCMS have confirmed that they have not incurred any costs associated with grievance procedures for school principals.

e. Legal fees incurred in respect of disciplinary action involving administrative or advisory staff.

The Boards normally do not incur legal expenditure on disciplinary action involving administrative or advisory staff. Where legal advice is required it is normally provided in-house by the Board’s Human Resources sections who, where necessary, obtain advice from the Board’s in-house solicitors.

Where disciplinary action results in dismissal this may result in legal fees, where the employee dismissed challenges the dismissal on the basis that it is unfair. Whilst Boards hold information in respect of legal fees incurred in respect of unfair dismissals, the unfair dismissal cases are not further categorised by type, by way of example only – redundancy, misconduct, capability, ill-health, some other substantial reason. Costs in relation to dismissal following disciplinary action, cannot, therefore be readily separately identified.

CCMS legal fees in respect of disciplinary action involving administrative or advisory staff:

AUTHORITY	Financial Year 2000/2001	Financial Year 2001/2002	Financial Year 2002/2003	Financial Year 2003/2004	Financial Year 2004/2005	Financial Year 2005/2006	Financial Year 2006/2007
CCMS			£17,419.00	£10,044.00		£2,115.00	£6,201.00

The 2006/07 costs above include expenses relating to a teacher case, as this particular case was not indemnified by the area Board, and CCMS was liable. This situation is unusual.

Salaries of the Chief Executives of ELB's

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Education to detail the salaries received by the Chief Executives of each of the Education and Library Boards.

(AQW 1451/07)

Ms Ruane: The salaries received by the Chief Executive of each Education and Library Board are outlined in the table below. Figures reported, in bandings of £5k, are consistent with the reporting requirements of the Remuneration Report detailed within each ELB Annual Report and Account document.

 

BOARD	AMOUNT £000’s
BELB	85-90
NEELB	100-105
SEELB	80-85
SELB	95-100
WELB	95-100

 

Finance and Personnel

Workplace 2010

Mr Roy Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail, for each building the department proposes to sell as part of the Workplace 2010 proposals, (a) the average annual maintenance costs for the past five years; and (b) expenditure on building modernisation and improvement since 1999.

(AQW 1292/07)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr Robinson): The details of the average maintenance costs and expenditure as requested are set out in the attached annexes.

Annex A provides annual average maintenance costs for the past 5 years. Annex B provides expenditure on building modernisation and improvements since 1999.

ANNEX A
Annual Average Maintenance Cost for the Last 5 Years (April 2002 – March 2007)
Note: For buildings proposed to transfer as part of WP2010
Premises	Leasehold / Freehold		Annual Average £
Holywood JBO	Freehold		21,586.00
Bangor SSO	Leasehold		26,761.00
Foyle JBO	Freehold		101,392.00
Waterfront Plaza	Leasehold		1,042.00
Lisnagelvin JBO	Freehold		40,378.00
Knockbreda JBO	Freehold		16,948.00
Newtownabbey JBO	Freehold		34,818.00
Interpoint	Leasehold		38,248.00
Antrim JBO	Freehold		40,586.00
Andersonstown SSO	Freehold		44,700.00
Coleraine JBO	Freehold		34,217.00
Ballymena County Hall	Freehold		253,547.00
Lisburn JBO	Leasehold		35,022.00
Carlisle House	Leasehold		15,093.00
Castle Buildings	Freehold		420,911.00
Castlecourt	Long Leasehold		312,924.00
Causeway Exchange	Leasehold		12,701.00
Dungannon JBO	Freehold		105,938.00
Armagh JBO	Freehold		17,760.00
Newry JBO	Freehold		15,076.00
Ballynahinch SSO	Freehold		12,708.00
Ballymoney JBO	Freehold		22,302.00
Kilkeel JBO	Freehold		12,792.00
Larne JBO	Freehold		70,812.00
Enniskillen JBO	Freehold		46,692.00
Clarence Court	Freehold		257,056.00
Coleraine County Hall	Freehold		203,681.00
Shaftsbury Square JBO	Leasehold		12,062.00
Craigantlet Buildings	Freehold		147,430.00
Dundonald House - Annex A	Freehold		12,763.00
Dundonald House - Annex D	Freehold		12,688.00
Dundonald House - Annex C	Freehold		15,613.00
Dundonald House	Freehold		309,624.00
Dundonald House - Annex B	Freehold		16,251.00
James House	Leasehold		17,089.00
Ferguson/Royston House	Leasehold		9,089.00
Windsor House	Leasehold		17,472.00
Goodwood House	Leasehold		30,567.00
Hillview Buildings	Freehold		7,442.00
Hydebank	Freehold		97,583.00
Klondyke	Leasehold		52.00
Lesley Exchange	Leasehold		404.00
The Lighthouse	Leasehold		12,624.00
Lincoln Building	Leasehold		109,778.00
Marlborough House	Freehold		182,320.00
Millennium House	Leasehold		4,613.00
Netherleigh	Freehold		138,585.00
Orchard House	Freehold		150,747.00
Centre House	Leasehold		27,716.00
Rathgael House (2 buildings Old & New)	Freehold/Long leasehold		384,778.00
Rathkeltair House	Freehold		73,723.00
River House	Leasehold		41,415.00
Rosepark Site	Freehold		79,429.00
Shankill JBO	Freehold		33,027.00
Magherafelt JBO	Freehold		32,751.00
Limavady JBO	Freehold		25,939.00
Lurgan JBO	Freehold		28,128.00
Banbridge JBO	Freehold		9,964.00
Corporation Street SSO	Freehold		62,295.00
Carrickfergus JBO	Freehold		11,492.00
Newtownards SSO	Freehold		25,076.00
Cookstown SSO	Freehold		16,507.00
Falls Road JBO	Freehold		34,565.00
Portadown JBO	Freehold		18,356.00
Ballymena SSO	Leasehold		22,652.00
Downpatrick SSO	Freehold		33,263.00
Omagh JBO	Freehold		35,974.00
Strabane SSO	Freehold		33,448.00
Newcastle SSO	Freehold		12,653.00
Adelaide House	Freehold		176,896.00
Design Centre	Leasehold		58,636.00
Waterside House	Freehold		106,256.00
Clare House	Leasehold		0.00
Knockview	Freehold		7,644.00
Massey House	Freehold		11,521.00
Grand Total			4,924,591.00

 

ANNEX B
Total Spent on Building Modernisation & Improvement (April 1999 – March 2007)
Note: For buildings proposed to transfer as part of WP2010
Premises	Leasehold / Freehold		Total Spent £
Holywood JBO	Freehold		3,372,885.38
Bangor SSO	Leasehold		113,773.77
Foyle JBO	Freehold		3,174,369.05
Waterfront Plaza	Leasehold		922,135.97
Lisnagelvin JBO	Freehold		166,022.50
Knockbreda JBO	Freehold		2,438,090.11
Newtownabbey JBO	Freehold		2,585,467.93
Interpoint	Leasehold		544,937.60
Antrim JBO	Freehold		2,016,817.28
Andersonstown SSO	Freehold		254,927.61
Coleraine JBO	Freehold		4,810,071.19
Ballymena County Hall	Freehold		583,165.88
Lisburn JBO	Leasehold		284,088.32
Carlisle House	Leasehold		1,661,826.61
Castle Buildings	Freehold		5,406,238.12
Castlecourt	Long Leasehold		289,063.74
Causeway Exchange	Leasehold		3,871,945.19
Dungannon JBO	Freehold		347,154.94
Armagh JBO	Freehold		3,034,589.17
Newry JBO	Freehold		1,121,538.27
Ballynahinch SSO	Freehold		156,553.22
Ballymoney JBO	Freehold		1,809,095.28
Kilkeel JBO	Freehold		1,157,913.70
Larne JBO	Freehold		2,251,784.52
Enniskillen JBO	Freehold		3,149,669.56
Clarence Court	Freehold		962,661.77
Coleraine County Hall	Freehold		1,405,469.33
Shaftsbury Square JBO	Leasehold		1,623,895.69
Craigantlet Buildings	Freehold		732,160.22
Dundonald House - Annex A	Freehold		8,054.66
Dundonald House - Annex D	Freehold		26,794.98
Dundonald House - Annex C	Freehold		57,494.41
Dundonald House	Freehold		356,992.89
Dundonald House - Annex B	Freehold		25,971.13
James House	Leasehold		5,508,143.17
Ferguson/Royston House	Leasehold		85,946.85
Windsor House	Leasehold		357,916.55
Goodwood House	Leasehold		2,444,987.86
Hillview Buildings	Freehold		-3,000.00
Hydebank	Freehold		87,274.33
Klondyke	Leasehold		3,677,943.92
Lesley Exchange	Leasehold		47,814.70
The Lighthouse	Leasehold		2,936,682.53
Lincoln Building	Leasehold		516,509.70
Marlborough House	Freehold		562,444.38
Millennium House	Leasehold		1,023,344.96
Netherleigh	Freehold		212,112.40
Orchard House	Freehold		117,074.41
Centre House	Leasehold		294,242.05
Rathgael House (2 buildings Old & New)	Freehold/Long leasehold		747,401.72
Rathkeltair House	Freehold		423,965.00
River House	Leasehold		36,346.48
Rosepark Site	Freehold		1,991,329.90
Shankill JBO	Freehold		2,294,663.72
Magherafelt JBO	Freehold		951,929.41
Limavady JBO	Freehold		1,800,791.41
Lurgan JBO	Freehold		2,113,584.13
Banbridge JBO	Freehold		1,756,017.84
Corporation Street SSO	Freehold		120,240.43
Carrickfergus JBO	Freehold		2,117,757.81
Newtownards SSO	Freehold		1,940.66
Cookstown SSO	Freehold		28,078.44
Falls Road JBO	Freehold		2,704,726.70
Portadown JBO	Freehold		1,959,704.01
Ballymena SSO	Leasehold		136,349.15
Downpatrick SSO	Freehold		65,014.08
Omagh JBO	Freehold		2,555,679.07
Strabane SSO	Freehold		35,861.19
Newcastle SSO	Freehold		27,550.29
Adelaide House	Freehold		618,622.40
Design Centre	Leasehold		248,972.60
Waterside House	Freehold		310,494.90
Clare House	Leasehold		6,200,000.00
Massey House / Knockview	Freehold		36,431.44
Grand Total			97,876,510.58

 

Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Provision of New Fire Station in Coleraine

Mr John Dallat asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has for the provision of a new fire station in Coleraine; and what is his assessment of the impact of this new facility on fire and rescue provision in Portrush and Portstewart.

(AQW 1230/07)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Mr McGimpsey): The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has identified Coleraine Fire Station for replacement in its Strategic Infrastructure Development Plan.

NIFRS continually assesses emergency fire and rescue service cover throughout Northern Ireland. Prior to constructing a new Coleraine station, NIFRS will, therefore, review cover in the area, including Portrush and Portstewart, to ensure the best possible service can be achieved within available resources. The new station will improve the provision of emergency response cover making it possible to introduce variable crewing and by enabling firefighters to train in a purpose-built facility.

Mental Health Provision, Causeway Hospital

Mr John Dallat asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has to enhance provision for mental health patients at the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.

(AQW 1233/07)

Mr McGimpsey: A number of initiatives to enhance mental health provision in Causeway Hospital are currently being developed. These include -

1. The extension of a 24-hour Crisis Response Service to cover the whole of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, which will reduce pressure on inpatient beds.

2. An enhanced adult mental health liaison service.

3. The introduction of a Trust wide bed management service to ensure capacity is being used to its maximum effect across the whole Trust area.

Breast Screening Waiting Lists

Mr Patsy McGlone asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust, the number of women currently awaiting breast screening.

(AQW 1303/07)

Mr McGimpsey: The information is not available in the format requested broken down by Trust. In relation to the Health and Social Services (HSS) Board areas, there are no women waiting for breast screening in the Southern and the Western HSS Board areas. There are approximately 7,000 women awaiting breast screening in the Northern HSS Board area, where there is a 16 month backlog for mobile screening. This will fall to 8 months from October 2007. There is no backlog for the static unit at Antrim Area Hospital. In the Eastern HSS Board area there is a backlog of approximately 7,000 with an 8 month delay. A regional breast screening plan has been drawn up to address the backlog and progress is being closely monitored by my Department. Funding has also been made available to the Northern Trust to purchase a second mobile screening unit.

Breast Screening Waiting Times

Mr Patsy McGlone asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust, breast screening waiting times.

(AQW 1304/07)

Mr McGimpsey: The information is not available in the format requested broken down by Trust. In relation to the Health and Social Services (HSS) Board areas, there are no women waiting for breast screening in the Southern and the Western HSS Board areas. There are approximately 7,000 women awaiting breast screening in the Northern HSS Board area, where there is a 16 month backlog for mobile screening. This will fall to 8 months from October 2007. There is no backlog for the static unit at Antrim Area Hospital. In the Eastern HSS Board area there is a backlog of approximately 7,000 with an 8 month delay. A regional breast screening plan has been drawn up to address the backlog and progress is being closely monitored by my Department. Funding has also been made available to the Northern Trust to purchase a second mobile screening unit.

Psychiatric Referal Times for Self Harming Patients

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the average time a patient who has self-harmed, and presents in an Accident and Emergency department, waits to see a psychiatrist; and to outline, broken down by parliamentary constituency, the number of such patients that were discharged without a referral to a psychiatrist.

(AQW 1397/07)

Mr McGimpsey: Following investigation by Health and Social Care Trusts, the information requested is not available on the current electronic Emergency Care monitoring systems.  

 

Cost of Agency-Supplied Nurses

Ms Sue Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount of money that is paid to agencies for the supply of nursing staff, across all hospitals in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1404/07)

Mr McGimpsey: My Department publishes information on the cost of agency supplied nurses on a six-monthly basis. 1

The most recent figures available are for the monitoring period October 2006 to March 2007. The total cost recorded was £7.39 million for this period.

£6.33 million was recorded for April 2006 to September 2006.

Published reports can be found on the Departmental Internet site at http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/hrd/wpu/wpu-monitoring.htm

1These figures include all agency nursing staff both hospital and community.

 

Number of Agency-Supplied Nurses

Ms Sue Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of agency-supplied nurses that are working in hospitals in Northern Ireland; and to detail the average length of time they are in post.

(AQW 1406/07)

Mr McGimpsey: Information on the number of agency nursing staff is not held centrally. Health and Social Care Trusts were asked to supply information on the number of agency nurses employed at 30th June 2007 and their replies are set out below;

The Northern HSC Trust paid for approximately 14 whole time equivalent (wte) agency nurses during the month of June.

The Western HSC Trust reported that an average of 22 wte agency nurses were employed during June.

The South Eastern Trust were unable to supply a figure for the number of agency nurses employed for a particular date and stated that the Trust does not block book nursing agency staff.

The Southern HSC Trust recorded 10 agency nurses working on 30th June 2007.

The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust recorded 60.7 agency nurses working on the 30th June 2007. Of this figure 9 agency nurses were working on a single shift basis in Belfast City Hospital.1

It should be noted that Trusts reported where agency nursing staff are employed on a shift by shift basis, it was not possible to provide any meaningful information on average length of time in post.

For agency staff engaged for more than a single shift the average length of time in post for the remainder ranged from 2 weeks to one instance of 33 months.

1The Mater, Royal and Musgrave Park hospitals could not provide information on the number of Agency nurses working on 30th June 2007 on a single shift basis.

Suicides in Craigavon Area

Mr George Savage asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in light of the recent suicides in the Craigavon area, to detail the resources that have been, and will be in the future, allocated to the area to provide counselling and other advisory services to young people; and what discussions he has had with the Minister of Education regarding the provision of a quality counselling service in this area.

(AQW 1429/07)

Mr McGimpsey: The Southern Health and Social Care Trust provide support and counselling for children through a 4-Tier model ranging from primary care to specialist inpatient settings. Within Craigavon/Banbridge locality 26 Health Visitors, 8 School Nurses and 94 Social Workers are trained in the promotion of good mental health, early recognition of problems and early intervention. The Trust also provides grant aid funding to the following voluntary organisations who provide Tier 1 support - Contact Youth, D.A.W.N. project, Care in Crisis, Breakthrough and React.

There are 10 Tier 2 staff in the Craigavon and Banbridge locality who provide a range of clinic and community based services/interventions to Children and Young People, e.g., Young Persons Project. Practitioners include, Nurses trained in Mental Health practices, Social Workers and one Psychologist.

A Southern Trust wide service provides more specialised Tier 3 services for children with more severe and complex and persistent mental health disorders and illness. There are 18 staff within this specialist service. An additional member of staff has been seconded to address issues arising from the recent suicides.

Tier 4 inpatient treatment can be accessed at Donard Ward, Knockbracken. Residential respite care is also available at Cherry Grove, Lurgan, which caters for young people with a range of needs.

During the 2006/07 school year counselling support was available to post primary schools in the Craigavon area. In addition, programmes to promote a positive approach to mental health and well being were on offer in some schools.

From September 2007 the Independent Counselling Service for Schools will be operating in all post primary schools which wish to use it. Some £1.8m has been allocated to support this service across Northern Ireland in 2007/08 school year.

Regionally, the Northern Ireland Suicide Prevention Strategy, "Protect Life – A Shared Vision", was launched on 30 October 2006. The Strategy, which contains over 60 actions, aims to tackle the issue of suicide by taking a dual population and targeted approach, and this year I have allocated over £3 million to support the Strategy’s implementation.

As part of the implementation of this Strategy, my Department has been piloting a suicide prevention telephone helpline, which specifically targets young people in North and West Belfast, and a self-harm mentoring initiative in the Western Health and Social Service Board. Both Pilots are supported by peer mentoring and counselling services, and I am now keen the telephone helpline and relevant support and counselling services are made available across Northern Ireland as a matter of urgency.

I have allocated £1.8 million of the £3 million allocation in this financial year to support local communities with the development and operation of initiatives that will help to reduce the Northern Ireland suicide rate, and in doing so, I have specifically asked that provision be made for those new initiatives which reach out to young people. A new GP Depression Awareness Training programme is also being rolled out across Northern Ireland, and the new "Share It" mental health awareness public information campaign is being re-run in July.

In response to the recent clusters of suicide across Northern Ireland, I have established a Ministerial co-ordination group, whose primary function is to ensure that suicide prevention is a priority for all relevant Government Departments and to enhance cross-departmental co-ordination on the issue. Membership of the group includes the Education Minister and the two junior OFMDFM Ministers.

Health Centre in Trillick

Mr Barry McElduff asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to provide an update on the schedule for the delivery of a new health centre in Trillick, Co. Tyrone; and to provide detail on the budget being made available for this project.

(AQW 1442/07)

Mr McGimpsey: The Western Health and Social Services Board are currently working with the GP Practice in Trillick to identify a possible site to build upon, or suitable renovation for the replacement of the GP premises. This project is part of the Western Board’s Capital Development programme and cost rent funding for the scheme has been earmarked by the Board. It is anticipated that a suitable site will be identified within the coming months; it would then take approximately one year for the scheme to be operational. The scheme will be based on two GPs. There are no current plans to provide a health centre in Trillick.

 

Combined Ambulance and Fire Station in Cushendall

Mr Daithí McKay asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what is his assessment of the feasibility of combining Cushendall Fire Station with an ambulance station, when it is rebuilt.

(AQW 1443/07)

Mr McGimpsey: I think it is in the best interests of the public that the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) continue to maintain a close relationship and share facilities at locations throughout Northern Ireland where this is deemed appropriate. However there is no current plan to either establish an Ambulance Service station, a deployment point or combined station in Cushendall.

NIAS will continue to monitor and analyse trends in Accident and Emergency activity in the Cushendall area. This will inform future decisions on the best location for ambulances to be based in order to achieve an 8-minute response standard.

Ambulance Response Times

Mr Daithí McKay asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to comment on an incident on 25 June 2007, when the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service took almost two hours to transport an injured child from Glenarm to Antrim Hospital.

(AQW 1445/07)

Mr McGimpsey: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) received an emergency call to the Glenarm area on Monday 25 June 2007 at 20:58hours and, in line with current protocols, the nearest available A&E ambulance was despatched.

This ambulance was, in fact, near Armoy village, having left Ballycastle ambulance station some 10 minutes earlier to provide cover in the greater Ballymena area where, according to NIAS’s recently introduced tactical deployment plan, the next emergency call was most likely to occur. The ambulance arrived at the scene at 21:54hours and left for Antrim Hospital at 21.59hrs arriving at 22.55hrs.

This call was assigned Category B status (serious but not immediately life threatening) and did not, therefore, require the 8 minute response time for life-threatening calls. I regret that, on this occasion, the overall journey time to hospital was longer than desirable because of the distances involved and the high level of demand for emergency responses in the area at the time.

Ambulance Cover

Mr Daithí McKay asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if he recognises that there is a shortage of ambulance cover in North and East Antrim; and if he has any plans to increase that cover.

(AQW 1446/07)

Mr McGimpsey: The Northern Health and Social Services Board (NHSSB) is responsible for commissioning ambulance services, in the North and East Antrim area, from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).

The Northern Board is currently working with the NIAS to ensure the achievement of the Northern Ireland PFA Target of responding to 65% of Category A calls (life threatening) within 8 minutes during 2007/08.

Some key elements of this work include an analysis of ambulance performance using spatial systems modelling, specialist mapping models and an analysis of historical emergency call data. NIAS is also currently working with the Department to introduce Satellite Navigation and Automatic Vehicle Locating Systems to its entire fleet. This system will enable ambulance controllers to identify and task the ambulance nearest to an incident thereby improving response times to life-threatening calls. These various initiatives will lead to improvements in response times across Northern Ireland.

Testing of Blood Samples

Dr Alasdair McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail whether blood samples of local haemophiliac patients are being tested, without their knowledge, for variant CJD.

(AQW 1461/07)

Mr McGimpsey: No blood samples of local patients with haemophilia are being tested for variant CJD nor is the matter under consideration in the Health Service in Northern Ireland.

Social Development

Breakdown of New Claimants of Pension Credit

Mr Peter Weir asked the Minister for Social Development, further to AQW 416/07, to outline why it was not possible to provide a breakdown of new claimants for pension credit by constituency; District Council area and Social Security Office, when a similar breakdown was provided for pension credit claimants in AQW 379/07.

(AQW 1444/07)

The Minister for Social Development (Ms Ritchie): Table 1: Pension Credit Claimant Onflows by Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office boundary:

2003/04 to 2006/07

2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007

Andersonstown Antrim Armagh Ballymena Ballymoney Ballynahinch Banbridge Bangor Carrickfergus Coleraine Cookstown Corporation Street Downpatrick Dungannon Enniskillen Falls Road Foyle Holywood Road Kilkeel Knockbreda Larne Limavady Lisburn Lisnagelvin Lurgan Magherafelt Newcastle Newry Newtownabbey Newtownards Omagh Portadown Shaftesbury Square Shankill Road Strabane

346 317 214 157 616 332 204 131 386 258 194 111 787 374 311 130 490 249 190 119 322 154 97 50 423 238 163 92 841 415 270 132 446 192 138 65 627 321 244 137 235 169 142 80 668 480 355 201 299 208 119 87 298 233 199 96 554 397 269 175 282 270 216 145 436 391 340 239 948 545 381 180 148 100 91 42 779 382 248 135 363 180 133 88 259 163 129 77 796 409 283 147 404 288 206 150 559 339 274 145 408 241 166 92 215 127 92 40 565 433 315 197 672 344 244 126 551 321 246 114 323 246 190 105 427 239 187 97 404 229 166 95 393 195 176 109 333 275 225 149

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Pension Credit is a centralised benefit and therefore has no Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office indicator.  Table 1 is a breakdown of customers whose postcodes fall within each of the 35 Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office boundaries. Customers whose postcode can not be allocated to a Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office boundary are not included in this analysis.

 

Table 2: Pension Credit Claimant Onflows by District Council Area: 2003/04 to 2006/07

 

2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007

ANTRIM ARDS ARMAGH BALLYMENA BALLYMONEY BANBRIDGE BELFAST CARRICKFERGUS CASTLEREAGH COLERAINE COOKSTOWN CRAIGAVON DERRY DOWN DUNGANNON FERMANAGH LARNE LIMAVADY LISBURN MAGHERAFELT MOYLE NEWRY & MOURNE NEWTOWNABBEY NORTH DOWN OMAGH STRABANE

440 223 152 104 791 428 299 144 448 290 207 116 721 337 287 116 335 166 117 75 425 232 163 89 2,970 1,950 1,436 847 445 192 138 65 743 332 220 122 596 316 242 134 273 200 170 91 851 519 421 214 811 650 532 381 655 413 267 149 365 281 225 116 499 351 239 159 362 179 133 88 283 192 145 83 938 555 386 231 403 232 157 87 219 99 84 52 735 549 413 247 875 459 298 151 763 388 272 119 328 257 202 106 339 275 220 152

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* In producing this analysis, individual records were attributed to District Council on the basis of their postcode. Customers whose postcode can not be allocated to a District Council are not included in this analysis.

Table 3: Pension Credit Claimant Onflows by Parliamentary Constituency:
2003/04 to 2006/07

	2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007
BELFAST EAST BELFAST NORTH BELFAST SOUTH BELFAST WEST EAST ANTRIM EAST LONDONDERRY FERMANAGH & SOUTH TYRONE FOYLE LAGAN VALLEY MID ULSTER NEWRY AND ARMAGH NORTH ANTRIM NORTH DOWN SOUTH ANTRIM SOUTH DOWN STRANGFORD UPPER BANN WEST TYRONE	973 560 358 186 1,165 711 532 299 794 416 299 163 866 695 524 370 944 439 326 187 879 508 387 217 772 544 387 248 811 650 532 381 959 508 338 195 768 520 404 205 864 607 445 257 1,275 602 488 243 944 470 318 142 898 492 324 180 983 640 447 252 965 533 383 188 1,086 638 511 267 667 532 422 258

* In producing this analysis, individual records were attributed to Parliamentary Constituency on the basis of their postcode. Customers whose postcode can not be allocated to a Parliamentary Constituency are not included in this analysis.

WRITTEN ANSWERS

Education

Expenditure on Legal Fees by CCMS and ELB's
Salaries of the Chief Executives of ELB's
Ulster-Scots Expenditure

Finance and Personnel

Workplace 2010

Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Ambulance Cover
Ambulance Response Times
Breast Screening Waiting Lists
Breast Screening Waiting Times
Combined Ambulance and Fire Station in Cushendall
Cost of Agency-Supplied Nurses
Health Centre in Trillick
Mental Health Provision, Causeway Hospital
Number of Agency-Supplied Nurses
Provision of New Fire Station in Coleraine
Psychiatric Referal Times for Self Harming Patients
Suicides in Craigavon Area
Testing of Blood Samples

Social Development

Breakdown of New Claimants of Pension Credit