Friday 24 November 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

General Practitioner Vocational Training

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the number of male and female applicants for the general practice trainee course at Queen’s University between 1999 and 2000.

(AQW 593/00)

Ms de Brún: Applications for general practitioner vocational training are not made to the Queen’s University of Belfast. This training is co-ordinated by the NI Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are currently two routes of entry to training:

(a) selection for GP registrar year (involving a minimum of 12 months vocational training in the general practice setting) after completion of the required training in approved hospital-based posts (usually two years); and

(b) selection for the three-year scheme comprising both the hospital and practice-based elements.

The breakdowns, by gender, for applications to the two vocational training schemes commencing between 1999 and 2000 were as follows:

Ní chuirtear iarratais chuig Ollscoil na Banríona Bhéal Feirste le haghaidh oiliúna gairmiúla mar liachleachtóir ginearálta. Is é Comhairle Oideachais Iarchéime Míochaine agus Fiaclóireachta a chomhordaíonn an oiliúint thar ceann na Roinne Sláinte, Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus Sábháilteachta Poiblí. Faoi láthair tá dhá chonair iontrála ann le haghaidh oiliúna:

(a) roghnaítear iarratasóirí don bhliain mar chláraitheoir liachleachtóra ghinearálta (tá oiliúint ghairmiuil 12 mhí ar a laghad i gceist i gcleachtas ginearálta) i ndiaidh dóibh tréimhse éigeantach oiliúna a chaitheamh (dhá bhliain go hiondúil) i bpoist fhormheasta ospidéal; agus

(b) roghnaítear iarratasóirí le haghaidh scéime trí bliana ina bhfuil oiliúint in ospidéal agus i gcleachtas ginearálta i gceist.

Is mar a leanas miondealú na n-iarratas, de réir inscne, don dá scéim oiliúna gairmiúla a thosaigh idir 1999 agus 2000:

Acute Beds Provision
(Craigavon Area Hospital)

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, with reference to AQO 184/00 regarding acute hospital beds provision, she will outline the situation with the acute beds provision in Craigavon Area Hospital and what plans were reviewed with Craigavon Group of Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust to deal with winter pressures.

(AQW 594/00)

Ms de Brún: The number of acute beds currently available at Craigavon Area Hospital is 414. The Southern Health and Social Services Board has been engaged in discussions with Craigavon Group of Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust since before the summer on a number of proposals to deal with winter pressures. Measures already agreed include the expansion of intensive care/high dependency beds, the funding of additional intermediate care beds and the consolidation and expansion of the community "step-down" scheme to facilitate earlier discharge from hospital. Some other measures are currently being explored with the trust.

Tá 414 géarleapacha ar fáil faoi láthair in Otharlann Cheantar Craigavon. Tá Bord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Deiscirt i mbun díospóireachta le hIontaobhas Ghrúpa Otharlanna Cheantar Craigavon ó roimh an samhradh faoi roinnt moltaí le déileáil le brúnna an gheimhridh. Ar na bearta ar socraíodh orthu tá cur le leapacha géarchúraim/ardspleáchais, maoiniú leapacha breise cúraim idirmheánaigh agus daingniú agus méadú na scéime pobail "step-down" le ligean amach níos luaithe ón otharlann a éascú. Tá roinnt beart eile á bhfiosrú leis an iontaobhas.

Waiting Times: Cancer Treatment

Mr McGrady asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the waiting times for those patients awaiting cancer treatment, that is, the time between the initial diagnosis and the commencement of treatment.

(AQW 596/00)

Ms de Brún: The information is not available in the form requested. Information gathered in relation to patients with a diagnosis of cancer in 1999-00 indicates that the average time between the date on which a consultant decided to admit a patient and the actual admission date was 46 days.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil san fhoirm a iarradh. Léiríonn an t-eolas a fuarthas maidir le hothair le hailse i 1999-2000 gurbh é 46 lá an meánam feithimh idir an dáta ar ar chinn an lia comhairleach othar a ligean isteach, agus an fíordháta a ligeadh isteach é/í.

Community Care (Northern Board Area)

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail how much funding she is going to allocate to the Northern Board to address the community care needs of the 536 patients waiting for care packages.

(AQW 599/00)

Ms de Brún: I am not yet in a position to provide this information. Decisions on the allocation of the budget available to my Department will only be finalised following the further statement on the Budget by the Minister of Finance and Personnel to the Assembly in December.

Níl mé in ann an t-eolas sin a sholáthar go fóill. Is i ndiaidh an ráitis bhreise ar an Bhuiséad a thabharfaidh an tAire Airgeadais agus Pearsanra don Tionól i mí na Nollag a chuirfear bailchríoch ar na cinntí maidir le leithroinnt an Bhuiséid a bheas ar fáil do mo Roinnse.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she is aware that 96 of the 536 patients on the waiting list for community care in the Northern Health and Social Services Board area could be discharged from hospital if funding for additional community care packages was available, and how she intends to allocate this funding.

(AQW 600/00)

Ms de Brún: At 30 September 2000 there were 76 residents of the Northern Health and Social Services Board area in hospital who were reported medically fit for discharge from hospital and waiting for a community care package to be arranged. This included 43 people waiting because no funding was available from the Northern Board to provide their care packages.

As regards funding for additional community care packages, I am not yet in a position to provide that information. Decisions on the allocation of additional funds will be taken in light of the further statement from the Minister of Finance and Personnel on the Budget to the Assembly in December.

Ar an 30 Meán Fómhair 2000 bhí 76 chónaitheoir ó cheantar Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Tuaiscirt san ospidéal agus tuairiscíodh fúthu go raibh siad sláintiúil go leor lena gcur abhaile agus go raibh siad ag feitheamh go socrófaí cúram pobail dóibh. Bhí 43 ina measc a bhí ag feitheamh cionn is nach raibh maoiniú ar fáil ó Bhord an Tuaiscirt le cúram a sholáthar dóibh.

Maidir le maoiniú le haghaidh cúraim pobail bhreise, níl mé in ann an t-eolas sin a sholáthar go fóill. Déanfar cinntí maidir le leithroinnt an mhaoinithe bhreise i bhfianaise an chéad ráitis eile ar an Bhuiséad a thabharfaidh an tAire Airgeadais agus Pearsanra don Tionól i mí na Nollag.

Sale of Poppies (Departmental Buildings)

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will confirm that she will provide prominent positioning and room for the sale of poppies in departmental buildings.

(AQW 602/00)

Ms de Brún: I can confirm that poppies were on sale in the reception area of Castle Buildings.

Thig liom a dhearbhú go raibh poipíní ar díol in ionad fáiltithe Fhoirgnimh an Chaisleáin.

Accident and Emergency Waiting Times (Ulster Hospital)

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the average waiting times in the accident and emergency department of the Ulster Hospital in each of the last six months.

(AQW 603/00)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested. Information on the percentage of new patients seen by a doctor within specified time bands at the accident and emergency department of the Ulster Hospital is available and is presented in the table below.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil san fhoirm a iarradh. Léirítear agus cuirtear ar fáil sa tábla thíos eolas ar chéatadán na n-othar nua a chuaigh chuig dochtúir taobh istigh de bhandaí ama ar leith ag an roinn taismí agus éigeandálacha in Otharlann Uladh.

Boards and Trusts: Community Care Funding

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail which boards and trusts have received their share of the £11 million allocated in July for community care.

(AQW 610/00)

Ms de Brún: The boards were allocated their share of the £11 million allocation in July for community care as follows:

The subsequent application of these funds to health and social services trusts is a matter for individual health and social services boards and is subject to service level agreement between the boards and the trusts.

Dáileadh a sciar féin den £11 mhilliún ar na boird i Mí Iúil do chúram pobail sa dóigh seo a leanas:-

Baineann úsáid an airgid sna hiontaobhais sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta ina diaidh sin leis na boird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta aonair, agus tá sí faoi réir aontú leibhéal seirbhíse idir na boird agus na hiontaobhais.

Boards and Trusts: Accounting Systems

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will (a) detail how many different accountancy systems exist in boards and trusts, and (b) outline her plans to create one system so that financial inputs and outputs can be measured in terms of services provided.

(AQW 611/00)

Ms de Brún: All accounting systems across boards, trusts and agencies are regional standard systems.

These include:

(1) General ledger

(2) Local accounts payable system

(3) Budgetary control

(4) Travelling expenses

(5) Patients’ property

(6) Trust funds

(7) Capital charging

(8) Debtors billing

(9) Payroll covering salaries, wages and home helps

These systems record financial data only and are used as indicated for different purposes. They do not provide "output" information, which is recorded on a range of other information systems.

I have commissioned the development of a new information and communication technology strategy for health and personal social services. This will cover, at a strategic level, the integration of finance and activity data. I envisage the strategy being available for final public consultation next year.

Is córais chaighdeánaithe réigiúnacha iad uilig na córais chuntasóireachta trasna bord, iontaobhas agus gníomhaireachtaí.

San áireamh tá:

(1) Mórleabhar Cuntas Ginearálta

(2) Córas Iníoctha Cuntas Áitiúil

(3) Rialú Buiséid

(4) Costais Taistil

(5) Maoin Othar

(6) Cistí Iontaobhais

(7) Costais Chaipitil

(8) Billí Fiachóirí

(9) Párolla ag cumhdach tuarastal, tuarastal feighlithe baile

Ní thaifeadann na córais seo ach sonraí airgeadais agus úsáidtear, mar a léiríodh, do chuspóirí éagsúla iad. Ní sholáthraíonn siad eolas "aschurtha" a thaifeadtar ar chórais eolais eile.

Choimisiúnaigh mé forbairt staitéis nua theicneolaíocht eolais agus cumarsáide do na SSSP agus cumhdóidh sí seo, ag leibhéal straitéiseach, comhtháthú sonraí airgeadais agus gníomhaíochta. Bheinn ag súil go gcuirfí an straitéis faoi chomhairle an phobail sa bhliain seo chugainn.

Payments to GPs

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will (a) detail the basis on which moneys are paid to GPs, and (b) outline the monitoring system that exists to arrive at the figures given.

(AQW 612/00)

Ms de Brún: GPs are paid as independent, self- employed contractors under a cost-plus principle. The payments they receive cover both their expenses ("the cost") in providing general medical services (GMS) and a net income for doing so ("the plus").

A GP who is on the list of a health and social services board for the provision of GMS may claim reimbursement of certain practice expenses and a range of fees and allowances. The current fee structure is outlined below:

• A basic practice allowance is paid. This is the key element of a GP’s income for providing GMS;
• Capitation fees are annual fees payable for each patient registered on a GP’s list;
• Health promotion payments comprise payments for running health promotion and chronic disease management programmes, and for achieving target levels of coverage of childhood immunisation and cytology screening;
• Items of service payments are made every time a GP provides certain services, night consultation being an example.

An individual GP’s income from fees and allowances will therefore depend on:

• the number of registered patients on the GP’s list;
• the number and level of activities undertaken; and
• performance achieved.

Fees and allowances for GPs are reviewed annually on the basis of recommendations made by the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration, which was set up in 1960 to consider an appropriate level of income for GPs. The recommended levels of fees and allowances are agreed here between the Department and the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland (BMA(NI)).

Íoctar liachleachtóirí mar chonraitheoirí neamhspleácha féinfhostaithe ar phrionsabal "costas móide ioncam". Clúdaíonn na híocaíochtaí a fhaigheann siad a gcuid costas agus iad ag soláthar seirbhísí ginearálta míochaine (SGM) agus a n-ioncam glan as an obair a dhéanamh.

Féadann liachleachtóir, atá ar liosta bhord sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta mar sholáthróir SGM, cúiteamh a éileamh i dtaca le costais áirithe cleachtais agus réimse táillí agus liúntas. Tá cur síos ar an struchtúr táillí atá anois ann thíos:

• Íoctar Bunliúntas Cleachtais. Is príomhghné d’ioncam liachleachtóra é seo a thuilltear as SGM a sholáthar;
• Íoctar Táillí caipitíochta thar ceann gach othair atá cláraithe ar liosta an liachleachtóra;
• Íocaíochtaí Cur Chun Cinn Sláinte: is é atá iontu íocaíocthaí ar son cláir a reachtáil leis an tsláinte a chur chun cinn agus le galair ainsealacha a bhainistiú; agus ar son spriocleibhéil a bhaint amach maidir le imdhíonadh leanaí agus scagthástáil chíteolaíochta a dhéanamh;
• Íoctar Íocaíochtaí ar son Míreanna Seirbhíse gach uair a chuireann liachleachtóir seirbhísí áirithe ar fáil, cuairt oíche, mar shampla.

Ar an ábhar sin beidh ioncam liachleachtóra, a thagann ó tháillí agus ó liúntais, ag brath ar na nithe seo a leanas:-

líon na n-othar atá cláraithe ar liosta an liachleachtóra;

• líon agus leibhéal na ngníomhaíochtaí atá ar siúl aige; agus
• na torthaí a bhaintear amach.

Déantar athbhreithniú bliantúil ar tháillí agus ar liúntais liachleachtóirí, athbreithniú atá bunaithe ar mholtaí a rinne an Grúpa Athbhreithnithe ar Thuarastal Dochtúirí agus Fiaclóirí a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1960 le leibhéal cuí ioncaim le haghaidh liachleachtóirí a mheas. Bíonn comhaontú ann anseo idir an Roinn agus an British Medical Association (NI) ar an leibhéal a mholtar maidir le táillí agus liúntais.

Hospital Funding

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, pursuant to AQW 304/00, she will (a) detail which hospitals have received their share of the £53m, (b) explain why her Department received the biggest share of the funding, and (c) detail the amount each board received from each of the 11 categories listed.

(AQW 613/00)

Ms de Brún: Boards were allocated £38·2 million of the £53 million as follows:

The subsequent application of these funds to health and social services trusts is a matter for individual health and social services boards and is subject to service level agreement between the boards and the trusts.

The £14·8 million managed centrally by the Department has been applied to professional training and recruitment (£3 million), ambulance services (£2 million), trust capital (£6 million), the health and personal social services information and communication technology (ICT) strategy (£1 million), counter-fraud work in boards (£1 million), family doctors (£1 million) and the extension of vaccination programmes (£0·8 million).

Is mar a leanas a leithroinneadh £38·2 milliún den £53 mhilliún ar na Boird:

Is gnó é do na boird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta aonair an dóigh ar leithroinneadh na cistí seo ina dhiaidh sin ar na hiontaobhais sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta agus tá sí faoi réir chomhaontú leibhéal seirbhíse idir na boird agus na hiontaobhais.

Cuireadh an £14·8 milliún, a bhainistíonn an Roinn go lárnach, ar fáil le haghaidh na nithe seo a leanas: oiliúint ghairmiúil agus earcaíocht (£3 mhilliún), seirbhísí otharcharranna (£2 mhilliún), caipiteal iontaobhais (£6 mhilliún), straitéis na SSSSP i leith TCE (£1 mhilliún), obair frithchalaoise na mbord (£1 mhilliún), lianna teaghlaigh (£1 mhilliún) agus fad a chur le cláir imdhíonta (£0.8 milliún).

Hospital Waiting Lists

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, pursuant to AQW 322/00, she will detail what specific measures each board is implementing.

(AQW 614/00)

Ms de Brún: I am not yet in a position to detail the specific measures that each board will be taking, as the proposals submitted by the boards in their draft waiting list action plans are still under discussion. In general terms, however, all boards have proposed a range of measures including:

• the appointment of a senior officer with responsibility for waiting lists;
• agreed annual waiting list target reductions;
• the provision of additional hospital inpatient procedures, particularly in relation to those patients who have been waiting longest;
• the provision of extra community care packages;
• the validation of waiting lists;
• the development of GP referral protocols; and
• measures to reduce outpatient waiting times.

Ní féidir liom mionchuntas a thabhairt go fóill ar na bearta ar leith a bheas gach bord a dhéanamh, mar go bhfuil na moltaí curtha isteach ag na boird ina ndréachtphleananna gníomhaíochta do liostaí feithimh faoi chaibidil go fóill. Go ginearálta áfach, mhol gach bord réimse beart. San áireamh tá:

ceapadh oifigigh shinsearaigh le freagracht as liostaí feithimh;

• sprioclaghduithe aontaithe ar liostaí feithimh bliantúla;
• soláthar gnásanna otharlainne breise d’othair chónaitheacha, go háirithe maidir leis na hothair sin is faide a bhí ag fanacht;
• soláthar beart cúraim pobail breise;
• daingniú liostaí feithimh;
• forbairt phrótacal atreoraithe dochtúirí, agus;
• bearta le hamanna feithimh d’othair sheachtracha a laghdú.

Psychiatric Day Hospital Facilities

Ms McWilliams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the provision of psychiatric day hospital facilities across Northern Ireland.

(AQW 617/00)

Ms de Brún: This information is detailed in the table below.

Hospitals providing day care facilities in the Mental Health Programme of Care, 1999/2000

Tá an t-eolas ar fáil sa tábla thíos.

Ospidéil a sholáthraíonn saoráidí cúraim lae sa Chlár Cúraim Meabhair-Shláinte, 1999/2000

General Practitioner Vocational Training

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the number of males and females accepted into the general practice trainee course at Queen’s University between 1999 and 2000.

(AQW 623/00)

Ms de Brún: As I explained in my previous answer (AQW 593), training for general practice (the GP vocational training schemes) is not organised by the Queen’s University of Belfast. This training is co-ordinated by the NI Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

The breakdown, by gender, of those accepted onto each of the vocational training schemes commencing between 1999 and 2000 is as follows:

Mar a mhínigh mé sa fhreagra a thug mé cheana féin (AQW 593), ní reachtálaíonn Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste oiliúnt i ndochtúireacht (na scéimeanna oiliúna dochtúirí gairmiúla). Comhordaíonn an Chomhairle TÉ d’Oideachas Míochaine agus Fiaclóireachta Iarchéime an oiliúnt seo ar son na Roinne Sláinte, Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus Sábháilteachta Poiblí.

Mar seo a leanas an miondealú, de réir inscne, dóibh siúd a glacadh ar gach scéim oiliúna gairmiúla a thosaigh idir 1999 agus 2000:

Mental Health Care

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the resources allocated to mental health care.

(AQW 624/00)

Ms de Brún: Health and social services boards’ general allocations are not hypothecated, and it is for individual boards and GP fundholders to use their funds to respond to the mental health care needs of their local populations. Accordingly, spending on specific services can only be determined accurately in retrospect once the accounts of the health and social services boards and trusts have been completed. In 1998-99 some £115 million was spent on services for people with mental health care needs.

Ní dhéantar leithroinntí ginearálta na mbord sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta a shannadh go sonrach agus is gnó é do na boird agus do na liachleachtóirí ginearálta aonair ar cisteshealbhóirí iad a gcuid cistí a úsáid le freastal ar riachtanais mheabhair-shláinte phobal a gceantair. Ar an ábhar sin ní féidir an caiteachas ar sheirbhísí sonracha a shocrú go beacht ach go cúlghabhálach chomh luath agus atá cuntais na mbord agus na niontaobhas sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta déanta. Sa bhliain 1998-99 caitheadh £115 mhilliún ar sheirbhísí do dhaoine a bhfuil riachtanais chúraim meabhair- shláinte acu.

Car Lease Scheme (Ulster Community
and Hospitals Trust)

Mr McCarthy asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will list those grades of employees of the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust who qualify for the trust’s car lease scheme and detail the cost of the scheme.

(AQW 626/00)

Ms de Brún: The Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust operates three car leasing schemes.

A general scheme is open to all employees of the trust who are classified as regular car users. The trust saves £100 per person on the costs it would have incurred under the regular user mileage allowances scheme.

A director’s scheme is open to all directors as part of a remuneration package. The cost to the trust is, on average, £1,750 to £2,000 per car.

A private car leasing scheme is available to all employees. There is no cost to the trust.

Baineann Iontaobhas Phobal agus Ospidéal Uladh úsáid as trí scéim léasaithe gluaisteán.

Tá scéim ghinearálta ar fáil do fhostaithe uilig an iontaobhais atá á n-aicmiú mar úsáideoirí rialta gluaisteán. Coiglíonn an t-iontaobhas £100 an duine ar na costais a thabhódh sé faoin scéim liúntas míleáiste d’úsáideoirí rialta.

Tá scéim do stiúrthóirí ar fáil do gach stiúrthóir mar chuid dá luach saothair. Is é £1,750 go £2,000 an meánchostas in aghaidh an ghluaisteáin don iontaobhas.

Tá scéim phríobháideach léasaithe gluaisteán ar fáil do gach fostaí. Níl aon chostas ann don iontaobhas.

Bilateral Ministeral Meeting (Enniskillen)

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will detail the official expenditure by her Department on the meeting that occurred in Enniskillen on Friday 3 November, and the officials from the Department who were in attendance.

(AQW 630/00)

Ms de Brún: The cost to the Department of the bilateral ministerial meeting and the press conference amounted to some £2,496. The Department also paid 20% of the lunch costs following the launch of the Food Safety Promotion Board. This amounted to some £795, with the balance being met by the Food Safety Promotion Board.

The following DHSSPS officials attended the meeting:

In addition, a further nine administrative and support staff attended to assist with the general arrangements including the press conference, the announcement of the folic acid campaign and the launch of the Food Safety Promotion Board.

Bhí tuairim is £2,496 ar na costais a ghabh leis an chruinniú aireachta déthaobhach agus leis an phreasócáid. D’íoc an Roinn as 20% de chostais an lóin a lean seoladh an Bhoird um Chur Chun Cinn Sábháilteachta Bia. Bhí timpeall £795 i gceist agus d’íoc an Bord um Chur Chun Cinn Sábháilteachta Bia an t-iarmhéid.

D’fhreastail na feidhmeannaigh seo a leanas de chuid na RSSSSP ar an chruinniú:

Ina theannta sin bhí naonúr breise den fhoireann riaracháin agus tacaíochta ann le cuidiú leis na socruithe ginearálta a dhéanamh, lena n-áirítear an phreasócáid, an fógra faoin fheachtas ar aigéad fólach agus seoladh an Bhoird um Chur Chun Cinn Sábháilteachta Bia.

Instruction to Senior Civil Servants

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will confirm that instructions were given to senior civil servants that they are not to use the term Northern Ireland and if she intends to revoke such an instruction.

(AQW 634/00)

Ms de Brún: No such instruction was given. Civil servants are free to use whatever term they consider appropriate. However, that is not a term that I use, and material issuing in my name or under my direction is prepared accordingly.

Níor tugadh a leithéid de threoir. Tá saoirse ag státseirbhísigh cibé téarma is cuí leo a úsáid. Ach ní téarma é seo a mbainim féin úsáid as agus dá réir sin ní úsáidtear é in ábhar ar bith a eisítear faoi m’ainm nó faoi mo threoir.

Skill Mix in Private Sector

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will (a) detail why trusts, on behalf of boards, are reducing the skill mix within the private sector residential nursing homes, and (b) confirm that the change in skill mix is directly related to the new regulations introduced that clients are to pay for all social care but not nursing care.

(AQW 635/00)

Ms de Brún: Health and social services trusts have no role in relation to the staffing of independent residential care and nursing homes. The health and social services boards, through their registration and inspection units, are responsible for monitoring the delivery of care, including staffing levels and the professional qualifications needed to provide care for residents, in all residential care and nursing homes. No significant alteration in the skill mix of staff has been noted in private establishments. The boards are, however, currently engaged in an exercise to align skill mix guidelines across all four boards, and this may result in some slight adjustments in some locations to ensure consistency of standards.

The recommendation of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care for the Elderly that nursing care should be provided free of charge in all settings is being considered. No such regulations have been introduced here to date.

Níl ról ar bith ag iontaobhais sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta maidir le ceapadh foirne san earnáil phríobháideach chúraim chónaithigh nó i dteaghaisí altranais. Is tríd a n-aonaid chlárúcháin agus chigireachta atá na boird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta freagrach as faireachán a dhéanamh ar sholáthar cúraim i ngach teaghais chúraim chónaithigh agus altranais, lena n-áirítear an líon foirne agus na cáilíochtaí gairmiúla atá riachtanach le cúram a sholáthar do chónaitheoirí. Níor tugadh faoi deara go raibh athrú suntasach ann maidir le scileanna na mball foirne i gcomhréir lena chéile i dteaghaisí príobháideacha. Ach tá na boird i mbun oibre faoi láthair leis na treoracha maidir le cionmhaireacht scileanna sna bordcheantair uilig a chur ar aon dul lena chéile agus féadfar go mbeidh coigeartú beag le déanamh in áiteanna lena chinntiú go mbeidh na caighdeáin ag teacht le chéile.

Tá breithniú á dhéanamh ar mholadh an Choimisiúin Ríoga um Chúram Fadtéarmach go gcuirfí cúram altranais ar fáil in aisce i ngach teaghais altranais, ach níor tugadh a leithéid de rialacháin isteach anseo go dtí seo.

Hospital Admissions

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, pursuant to AQW 322/00, she will detail what arrangements are in place to deal with hospital admissions and the necessary discharge of patients.

(AQW 636/00)

Ms de Brún: Under the ‘Framework for Action on Waiting Lists’ that I issued on 11 September, boards and trusts will be implementing a number of measures geared at speeding up hospital admissions and facilitating the discharge of patients. Non-urgent elective work will be profiled throughout the year to maximise the number of patients treated. Referral protocols for GPs will be developed. There will be more emphasis on integrated working between the hospital and community sectors. Community care services will be improved in order to reduce the need for inappropriate hospital admissions and to ensure that people who do not need to be in hospital can be discharged.

Improved capacity in intensive care and high dependency services, which is now coming on stream and will be further expanded over the next three years, will also improve the capacity of hospitals to deal with waiting lists.

Faoin ‘Creatlach do Gníomhaíocht ar Liostaí Feithimh’ a d’eisigh mé ar an 11ú Meán Fómhair, beidh boird agus iontaobhais ag cur roinnt beart i bhfeidhm le dlús a chur le hothair a ligean isteach agus amach as otharlann. Aibhseofar obair roghnach neamhphráinneach tríd an bhliain le líon na n-othar a chóireálfar a íosmhéadú. Forbrófar prótacail atreoraithe do dhochtúirí. Cuirfear níos mó béim ar chomhoibriú imeasctha idir an earnáil otharlainne agus an earnáil phobail. Feabhseofar seirbhísí cúraim phobail leis an ghá le hiontrálacha mí-oiriúnacha a laghdú agus le cinntiú go scaoilfear amach daoine nár chóir dóibh bheith san otharlann.

Cuirfear níos mó dianchúram agus seirbhísí ardspleáchais ar fáil thar na trí bliana seo chugainn, rud a chuideoidh le hotharlanna déileáil le liostaí feithimh.

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