Friday 12 January 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Special Advisers

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to confirm that her special adviser has a criminal record for terrorist convictions and to give the details of these convictions.

(AQW 979/00)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): I do not consider it appropriate to answer questions requesting personal details about civil servants.

Ní shílim go bhfuil sé ceart ceisteanna ag iarraidh sonraí pearsanta faoi státseirbhísí a fhreagairt.

Down Lisburn Trust: Mental Health

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail when she expects the £100,000 diverted from mental health by Down Lisburn Trust for acute services to be returned.

(AQW 981/00)

Ms de Brún: As previously indicated, Down Lisburn Trust hopes to restore the £100,000 diverted this year from mental health to acute services next year, subject to resource availability.

Mar a tugadh le fios roimhe, tá súil ag Iontaobhas an Dúin agus Lios na gCearrbhach an £100,000 a atreoraíodh ón MheabhairShláinte go géarsheirbhísí i mbliana a thabhairt ar ais don MheabhairShláinte sa bhliain seo chugainn ag brath ar infhaighteacht acmhainne.

Bills: Leaving Care and Child Protection
and Vulnerable Adults

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail when the Leaving Care and the Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Bills will be implemented, and to make a statement.

(AQW 982/00)

Ms de Brún: The Leaving Care Bill has been included in the legislative programme for the current session of the Assembly. The Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Bill will be included in the following session. Before they are introduced in the Assembly, consultation documents for each Bill will be issued outlining the Department’s proposals for change. It is intended that these proposals will be issued for public consultation in the near future. Subject to Assembly approval, and the production of any supporting regulations and guidance, the new legislation will be implemented as soon as possible.

Cuireadh an Bille Ag Fágáil Cúraim sa Chlár Reachtaíochta do sheisiún reatha an Tionóil agus beidh an Bille um Chosaint Páistí agus Aosach Leochaileach sa chéad seisiún eile. Sula gcuirfear faoi bhráid an Tionóil iad, eiseofar doiciméid chomhairliúcháin ar gach Bille ag leagan amach moltaí na Roinne le haghaidh athrú. Tá sé beartaithe go n-eiseofar na moltaí seo le haghaidh comhairliúcháin phoiblí gan mhoill. Ag brath ar fhaomhadh an Tionóil, agus ar sholáthar rialacha agus ar threoracha tacaíochta, cuirfear an reachtaíocht nua i bhfeidhm a luaithe agus is féidir.

Epidemiology Survey

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she has any plans to conduct an epidemiology survey on mental health as current data and statistics need updating.

(AQW 984/00)

Ms de Brún: I am considering a number of large-scale health surveys, including one on mental health. The timing of these surveys will depend on securing the necessary finance.

Tá mé ag déanamh machnaimh ar roinnt suirbhéanna mórscála, ceann ar an mheabhairshláinte san áireamh. Beidh uainiú na suirbhéanna seo ag brath ar an airgead riachtanach a fháil.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Waiting Time

Mr Poots asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current waiting time for patients requiring a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

(AQW 998/00)

Ms de Brún: This information is not routinely collected centrally.

Information obtained from the Royal Victoria Hospital indicates that non-urgent cases wait for up to 22 months for an MRI scan. Urgent cases can be seen more quickly but can wait for up to five months.

Information obtained from Musgrave Park Hospital indicates that routine cases wait approximately seven months for an MRI scan. Urgent cases can be seen in three to six weeks, but emergency cases can be seen much sooner.

A portable scanner is also in operation at the Antrim Area Hospital, but details of waiting times for this scanner are not available.

Ní bhailítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach de ghnáth.

Léiríonn an t-eolas seo a fuarthas ó Ospidéal Ríoga Victoria go bhfanann cásanna nach bhfuil práinn leo suas le 22 mhí faoi choinne scanadh MRI. Is féidir cásanna práinneacha a fheiceáil níos gaiste ach féadann siad fanacht suas le cúig mhí.

Léiríonn an t-eolas a fuarthas ó Ospidéal Pháirc Musgrave go bhfanann gnáthchásanna thart ar seacht mí faoi choinne scanadh MRI. Is féidir cásanna níos práinní a fheiceáil i 3-6 seachtaine ach is féidir cásanna éigeandála a fheiceáil níos gaiste.

Tá scanóir iniompartha ag feidhmiú in Ospidéal Cheantar Aontroma ach níl sonraí ar uaireanta feithimh don scanóir seo ar fáil.

Mental Health: Allocation

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail what proportion of the extra £1·5 million allocated to the health budget will be earmarked for mental health.

(AQW 1012/00)

Ms de Brún: I am not clear as to the extra £1·5 million to which you refer. However, I am pleased to point out that as a result of the October monitoring round, I was successful in securing an extra £0·5 million for mental health. This will be allocated shortly to health and social services boards.

Níl sé soiléir agam maidir leis an £1.5 milliún breise a dtagraíonn tú dó. Tá áthas orm le cur in iúl áfach, mar thoradh ar Bhabhta Monatóireachta Mhí Dheireadh Fómhair, gur éirigh liom £0.5 milliún breise a fháil do shláinte mheabhrach. Dáilfear seo ar na Boird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta gan mhoill.

Ulster Hospital: Cancer Specialist

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will confirm that the cancer specialist is leaving the Ulster Hospital and detail what steps she is taking to fill the post.

(AQW 1014/00)

Ms de Brún: I am not aware that any cancer-related staff are leaving the Ulster Hospital.

Ní feasach dom go bhfuil aon bhaill fhoirne a bhfuil baint acu leis an ailse ag imeacht ó Ospidéal Uladh.

Funding for NHS Nursing Care

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount she has allocated to provide National Health Service (NHS) nursing care to residents of private nursing homes and how many NHS hospital beds will consequently be made available.

(AQW 1017/00)

Ms de Brún: I have not allocated funds specifically for this purpose, although an additional £15 million has been allocated to health and social services boards this year for winter pressures. This should provide for additional community nursing services and extra community-care packages. However, it is a matter for boards, in partnership with trusts, to decide specifically how these resources are distributed. At present there is no accurate estimate of the potential numbers of acute beds that could be freed by such measures.

Even with this additional investment, I am conscious that there is still a need for further resources to enable more patients to be cared for in their own homes, therefore freeing up hospital beds. To this end I am seeking to secure additional community care funding through the December monitoring round, and I will ensure that it is given a high priority when detailed decisions are made on allocations for future years.

Níor leithroinn mé airgead le haghaidh na cúise áirithe seo, cé gur leithroinneadh £15 mhilliún breise ar Bhoird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta i mbliana do bhrúnna an gheimhridh. Ba chóir go ndéanfadh seo seirbhísí breise altranais phobail agus bearta breise cúraim phobail a sholáthar. Baineann sé leis na Boird, i gcomhar leis na hIontaobhais, áfach, cad é mar a shocraíonn siad ar dháileadh ar leith na n-acmhainní seo. Faoi láthair níl meastachán cruinn ar líon poitéinsiúl géarleapacha a thiocfadh a scaoileadh saor mar tríd a leithéid de bhearta.

Fiú leis an infheistíocht bhreise seo is eol dom go bhfuil gá ann go fóill le hacmhainní breise, le faill a thabhairt do níos mó othar bheith faoi chúram ina dtithe féin, rud a scaoilfeas saor leapacha ospidéil. Leis an chuspóir seo a bhaint amach tá mé ag iarraidh airgead breise cúraim phobail a chinntiú trí Bhabhta Monatóireachta na Nollag agus cinnteoidh mé go dtabharfar tosaíocht ard dó nuair a dhéanfar mionchinnidh ar leith ar leithranna sna blianta seo chugainn.

Additional Hospital Beds

Mr Berry asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline her recently- announced distribution plans for 300 extra beds and detail (a) when these extra beds will be available and for what period (b) the number of additional beds allocated to each trust area and (c) the total cost involved.

(AQW 1018/00)

Ms de Brún: Details about the additional hospital beds in place for winter are set out in the table below.

The additional beds were operational by 1 January 2001 and will be available until March or April, depending on circumstances. The additional intensive-care and high-dependency beds that have been provided are permanent.

Leagtar amach sonraí faoi leapacha ospidéil bhreise don gheimhreadh sa tábla seo thíos.

Bhí na leapacha breise a dtugtar miontuairisc orthu thuas uilig oibríochtúil faoi 1 Eanáir 2001 agus beidh siad ar fáil go dtí Márta nó Aibreán, ag brath ar na tosca. Tá na leapacha Dianchúraim agus Ardspleáchais bhreise a cuireadh ar fáil le bheith ann go buan.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Patient Transfer

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline her plans to improve facilities for patients transferring from accident and emergency departments to general wards.

(AQW 1019/00)

Ms de Brún: The availability of hospital beds for patients requiring admission from accident and emergency departments is a key element in the comprehensive plans that boards and trusts have developed in readiness for this winter. The level of emergency admissions is highest during the winter months and in recognition of that, a wide range of measures has been put in place to provide extra bed capacity over coming months. These measures include the provision of approximately 300 additional hospital beds. There will also be about 1,000 additional community care packages in place this winter, including intermediate care schemes to reduce the need for inappropriate hospital admissions and help to ensure that people who do not need to be in hospital can be discharged.

Is príomhghné de phleananna cuimsitheacha a d’fhorbair na Boird agus na hIontaobhais le déanamh réidh don gheimhreadh, go gcuirtear leapacha ospidéil ar fáil d’othair a bhfuil iontráil de dhíth orthu ó na ranna Timpiste agus Éigeandála. Tá líon na n-iontrálacha éigeandála níos airde le linn mhíonna an gheimhridh agus dá bhrí sin cuireadh réimse leathan beart i bhfeidhm le líon breise leapacha a chur ar fáil thar na míonna atá romhainn. Cuimsíonn na bearta seo soláthar 300 leaba bhreise ospidéil. Beidh thart ar 1,000 beart cúraim phobail breise ann an geimhreadh seo, lena n-áirítear scéimeanna cúraim idirmheánaigh le riachtanas iontrálacha ospidéil míchuí a laghdú agus le cuidiú le daoine nach gá dóibh bheith san ospidéal a ligean amach.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, for each month since April 1999, (a) the number of people treated in the accident and emergency departments in acute hospitals in Northern Ireland (b) the average waiting time for treatment in each accident and emergency department in Northern Ireland (c) the number of people admitted to the wards from each accident and emergency department in Northern Ireland and (d) the average waiting time for a bed for patients admitted to the wards from each accident and emergency department in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1020/00)

a) Ms de Brún: Information on attendances at accident and emergency departments in hospitals here is collected on a quarterly basis and is detailed in the table below.

Attendances at A&E Departments in local hospitals

b) This information is not collected centrally.

c) This information is collected on a quarterly basis and is detailed in the table below.

Patients admitted to hospital via A&E departments, by Trust

d) Information on the time waiting for admission from an accident and emergency department is collected on the basis of time bands — less than one hour; one hour to under two hours; two hours or more — and it is not possible to derive an average waiting time from these figures.

a) Bailítear eolas ar fhreastal ar ranna T&É in ospidéil anseo ar bhonn ráithiúil agus tá mionchuntas air sa tábla thíos.

Freastal ar Ranna T&É in ospidéil áitiúla

b) Ní bhailítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach.

c) Bailítear an t-eolas seo go ráithiúil agus tá mionchuntas air sa tábla thíos.

Othair a ligeadh isteach chuig an ospidéal trí Ranna T&É, de réir Iontaobhais

(d) Bailítear an t-eolas ar an am a caitheadh ag fanacht ar iontráil ó ranna T&É de réir bandaí ama (níos lú ná 1 uair, uair go dtí níos lú ná 2 uair, 2 uair nó níos mó) agus ní féidir meánam feithimh a bhaint as na figiúirí seo.

Accident and Emergency
Departments: Trolleys

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the circumstances under which a patient awaiting admission to a ward from an accident and emergency Department is required to wait on a trolley (b) the average length of time, for each month since April 1999, for which patients have had to wait on trolleys in acute hospitals in Northern Ireland and (c) the number of patients, for each month since April 1999, who have had to wait for more than one hour on a trolley in each accident and emergency department in acute hospitals in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1021/00)

Ms de Brún:

a) Patients wait on trolleys when they have been assessed as needing admission to hospital but no vacant bed is available. This occurs because the number of beds available over a 24-hour period depends on the balance between new admissions and discharges. Overall, the numbers are roughly in balance over the 24-hour period, but at peak admission times there can be a mismatch between the admissions and discharges. Every effort is made to anticipate changes in demand, but equally it is not possible to tailor the two to cover all the circumstances. Boards are currently endeavouring to re-arrange capacity to better reflect bed pressures.

b) Information on the time waiting for admission from an accident and emergency department is collected on the basis of time bands — less than one hour; one hour to under two hours; two hours or more — and it is not possible to derive an average waiting time from these figures.

c) This information is collected on a quarterly basis and is detailed in the table below.

Patients admitted to hospital via A&E departments waiting over 1 hour for admission, by Trust

a) Fanann othair ar thralaithe nuair a mheastar gur gá iad a chur isteach chuig an ospidéal ach nach bhfuil leaba shaor ar fáil. Tarlaíonn seo as siocair go mbraitheann líon na leapacha thar thréimhse 24 uaire ar líon na n-othar a ligeadh isteach i gcomparáid le líon na n-othar a ligeadh amach. San iomlán bíonn na huimhreacha cothrom tríd is tríd ach ag buaicuaireanta iontrála féadann líon na n-iontrálacha agus an líon a scaoileadh amach ag teacht salach ar a chéile. Déantar gach iarracht leis na hathruithe éilimh seo a thuar ach ní féidir an dá rud a chur in óiriúint leis na himthosca uile a chlúdach. Faoi láthair tá na Boird ag iarraidh an líon leapacha a athshocrú le dul i ngleic níos fearr le brúnna leapacha.

b) Bailítear an t-eolas ar an am a caitheadh ag fanacht ar iontráil ó ranna T&É de réir bandaí ama (níos lú ná 1 uair, uair go dtí níos lú ná 2 uair, 2 uair nó níos mó) agus ní féidir meánam feithimh a bhaint as na figiúirí seo.

c) Bailítear an t-eolas seo go ráithiúil agus tá mionchuntas air sa tábla thíos.

Othair a ligeadh isteach chuig an ospidéal trí Ranna T&É, de réir Iontaobhais

Childcare Services

Mr Close asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the most recent available figures for spending on family and childcare services in Northern Ireland (b) how these compare with England and Wales and (c) specifically what is being compared particularly with reference to the inclusion of "Quality Protects" funding in England and Wales.

(AQW 1027/00)

Ms de Brún: In 1998/99, the most recent year for which complete figures are available, a total of £66,816,765 was spent here on family and childcare services. Expenditure in England on corresponding services was £2,560 million and in Wales was £114,457,000.

All three figures cover expenditure on personal social services for children and their families. None include expenditure on "Quality Protects" programmes.

I 1998/99, an bhliain dheireanach a bhfuil figiúirí iomlána ann di, caitheadh suim iomlán £66,816,765 ar Sheirbhísí Teaghlaigh agus Cúraim Pháistí anseo. Caitheadh £2,560 milliún ar sheirbhísí den chineál céanna i Sasana agus £114,457,000 sa Bhreatain Bheag.

Clúdaíonn na trí fhigiúr caiteachas ar sheirbhísí sóisialta pearsanta do pháistí agus a dteaghlaigh. Níl caiteachas ar chláracha "Cosnaíonn Cáilíocht" san áireamh i gceann ar bith acu.

Influenza Vaccinations

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of people within the target groups that have been vaccinated against influenza.

(AQW 1033/00)

Ms de Brún: Between 1 October 2000 and 30 November 2000, 214,488 individuals within the target groups have been vaccinated against influenza as part of this year’s influenza immunisation programme. The programme will continue to run until 31 January 2001.

Idir 1ú Deireadh Fómhair agus 30ú Samhain 2000, vacsaíníodh 214,488 duine taobh istigh de na spriocghrúpaí i gcoinne an fhliú mar chuid de chlár imdhíonta fliú na bliana seo. Leanfaidh an clár imdhíonta fliú ar aghaidh go dtí 31ú Eanáir 2001.

Dentistry

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to confirm her plans to increase spending on dentistry over the next three years.

(AQW 1036/00)

Ms de Brún: My Department’s oral health strategy is currently being evaluated, and when the results of the evaluation become known, I will consider any resource implications for future years. In the meantime, demand-led general dental services will continue to be funded by the Department.

Déarfainn arís go bhfuil Stráitéis Shláinte Béil mo Roinne á measúnú faoi láthair agus nuair a thiocfas torthaí an mheasúnaithe amach déanfaidh mé mo mhachnamh ansin ar impleachtaí acmhainne don todhchaí. Idir an dá linn leanfar le maoiniú Seirbhísí Ginearálta Fiaclóra, ag brath ar éileamh, ón Roinn.

Angiograms: Waiting Time

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline her proposals to reduce waiting times for angiograms.

(AQW 1037/00)

Ms de Brún: I am concerned that too many patients wait for too long for angiograms and for hospital services generally. In September, I issued a ‘Framework for Action on Waiting Lists’, which gave boards and trusts a comprehensive, long-term strategy for dealing with waiting lists. I have allocated an additional £5 million this year to support action on waiting lists across all specialties. I expect boards’ action on waiting lists to reduce waiting times for many services, including angiograms. My Department is currently considering an implementation plan on recommendations flowing from a review of cardiology services. A review of cardiac surgery is also being undertaken and is due to report within the next couple of months. The outcome of these reviews should be an improvement in services generally for patients with heart disease, including those who need angiograms.

In addition, a new angiography suite is due to open at Altnagelvin Hospital in spring 2001. This will improve the angiography services for people in the western board area and may also have a positive effect on waiting times at the Royal Group of Hospitals, where patients from the north-west are currently seen.

Tá mé buartha go bhfuil barraíocht othar ag fanacht rófhada ar aingiaghram agus ar sheirbhísí ospidéil i gcoitinne. I Meán Fómhair, d’eisigh mé "Creatlach um Ghníomh ar Liostaí Feithimh" a leag amach do na Boird agus do na hIontaobhais stráitéis chuimsitheach fhadtéarmach le dul i ngleic le liostaí feithimh. Chuir mé £5 mhilliún sa bhreis i mbliana ar leataobh le tacú le gníomh ar liostaí feithimh fud fad na speisialtachtaí uile. Tá mé ag dúil le gníomh ó na Boird ar liostaí feithimh le haga feithimh a laghdú faoi choinne cuid mhór seirbhísí, aingiaghraim san áireamh. Tá mo Roinn ag déanamh machnaimh faoi láthair ar phlean le moltaí a chur i bhfeidhm a thiocfas ó athbhreithniú ar sheirbhsí cairdeolaíochta. Táthar ag tabhairt faoi athbhreithniú ar mháinliacht chairdiach agus beidh tuairisc le fáil sa chéad chúpla mí eile. Ba chóir go mbeadh feabhas ar sheirbhísí go ginearálta do dhaoine a bhfuil galar croí orthu mar thoradh ar na hathbhreithnithe seo, bheadh na daoine a bhfuil aingiaghram de dhíth orthu san áireamh.

Lena chois, tá sraith sheomraí nua aingiaghraim le hoscailt in ospidéal Alt na nGealbhan in Earrach na bliana 2001. Feabhsóidh seo seirbhísí aingiagrafaíochta do dhaoine i mBord an Iarthair agus is féidir go mbeidh tionchar dearfach aige ar liostaí feithimh an Ghrúpa Ríoga Ospidéal, áit a gcóireáiltear othair ón Iar-thuaisceart faoi láthair.

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