Friday 12 January 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Occupational Therapy Visits: Waiting Times

Mr Dodds asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current waiting times for occupational therapy visits in the area covered by the North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust and how these compare with the other trust areas.

(AQW 1041/00)

Ms de Brún: Information on waiting times between referral and start of occupational therapy assessment for the quarter ending 30 September 2000 is detailed in the table below.

Tá mionchuntas sa tábla thíos ar an eolas ar liostaí feithimh idir tús mheasúnú OT agus atreorú don ráithe ag críochnú 30 Meán Fómhair 2000.

Eastern Health and Social Services: Allocation

Mr Dodds asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline how the extra £408,000 allocated to the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has been distributed and what effect this has had on reducing occupational therapy waiting times within its area.

(AQW 1042/00)

Ms de Brún: The extra £408,000 allocated to the Eastern Health and Social Services Board to tackle occupational therapy (OT) waiting lists was distributed to community trusts as follows:

There has been a 30% reduction in the numbers of people waiting for occupational therapy services in excess of charter standards as recorded for the second quarter of this year for North and West Belfast Trust, South & East Belfast Trust and Ulster Community Hospitals Trust. Figures for Down Lisburn Trust are not yet available.

Tugadh amach an £408,000 dáilte do Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Oirthir chun déileáil le liostaí feithimh teiripe ceirde (TC) do na hIontaobhais Phobail mar a leanas:

Tá laghdú 30% ar líon na ndaoine ag fanacht le seirbhísí TC de bhreis ar chaighdeáin chairte mar a cláraíodh don dara ceathrú den bhliain seo d’Iontaobhas Bhéal Feirste Thuaidh agus Thiar, Iontaobhas Bhéal Feirste Theas agus Thoir agus Iontaobhas Ospidéil Phobal Uladh. Níl figiúirí d’Iontaobhas An Dúin Lios na gCearrbhach ar fáil go fóill.

Antibiotics: Prescribing

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the guidelines issued to GPs on the prescribing of antibiotics.

(AQW 1045/00)

Ms de Brún: Guidance on antibiotic prescribing was contained in a letter from the chief medical officer on resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. This was copied to all GPs in June 1999. In addition, an article on antimicrobial resistance was the lead in the chief medical officer’s update of June 2000. This also included relevant information for GPs.

This winter and last my Department has put in place a public information campaign on antibiotic prescribing, involving leaflets and posters. These have been distributed to GPs to assist them in explaining antimicrobial resistance to patients. The leaflet highlights that most upper respiratory tract infections are viral in origin and do not need antibiotics. There is some evidence of a recent decline in antibiotic prescribing in this area.

Much multidisciplinary work has also taken place in primary care to promote the optimal prescribing of antibiotics. This includes GPs working with board prescribing advisers and secondary care professionals to develop local formularies, protocols for antibiotic prescribing for management of certain infections, and local campaigns highlighting the dangers of over-prescribing.

Bhí treoir ar ordú frithbheathach istigh i litir ón Phríomh-Oifigeach Míochaine, ar fhrithbheartaíocht d’fhrithbheathaigh agus d’oibreáin fhrithmhiocróbacha eile; tugadh cóipeanna di seo do gach DG i Meitheamh 1999. Ina theannta sin, ba é an t-alt ar fhrithbheartaíocht fhrithmhiocróbach an príomhalt i Leagan Úr an Phríomh-Oifigigh Mhíochaine de Mheitheamh 2000 di. Faoi iamh léi seo bhí eolas cuí do DGí.

An Geimhreadh seo, agus seo caite, chuir an Roinn s’agam feachtas eolais phoiblí ar ordú frithbheathach ar bun inar úsáideadh bileoga agus postaeirí. Dáileadh iad seo ar DGí chun cuidiú leo frithbheartaíocht fhrithmhiocróbach a mhíniú d’othair. Aimsíonn an bhileog go bhfuil an chuid is mó d’ionfhabhtuithe sa bhealach riospráide uachtarach víreasach ó bhunús, agus nach gá frithbheathaigh chun iad a chóireáil. Tá roinnt chruthaithe ann a léiríonn meath deireanach in ordú frithbheathach anseo.

Rinneadh cuid mhór oibre ildhisciplíní i bpríomhchúram fosta le hordú optamach frithbheathach a chur chun cinn. San áireamh tá DGí, ag obair le Comhairleoirí Boird Ordaithe agus le gairmithe cúraim thánaistigh chun leabhair fhoirmlí áitiúla, le prótacail d’ordú frithbheathach do bhainistíocht ionfhabhtuithe áirithe, agus le feachtais áitiúla, ag cur béime ar na contúirtí ró-ordaithe, a fhorbairt.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the initiatives taken to help victims of Alzheimer’s Disease.

(AQW 1047/00)

Ms de Brún: The dementia policy scrutiny report, published in May 1995, identified five main elements required to provide a response to the challenge of dementia:

• Early diagnosis of every person with dementia;
• Early and continuing support in line with assessed need;
• Support for carers;
• A specific programme for younger people with dementia; and
• A continuum of care delivered by properly trained staff in suitable facilities.

My Department accepted the scrutiny report as the basis for policy in this area and the regional strategy for health and social wellbeing required health and social services boards and trusts to take steps to implement all of its recommendations — some 33 in total.

Significant progress has been made towards implementing the programme for action set out in the scrutiny report.

The importance of early diagnosis has been accepted and each of the boards has developed strategies to try to ensure that diagnosis is made as early as possible. Board and trust staff are working with voluntary organisations such as the Alzheimer’s Society to promote awareness of dementia. Significant investment has been made in establishing multidisciplinary teams, and training initiatives have been put in place for staff. There is a network of carer support groups in place in each board area, and training for carers has been developed in conjunction with the voluntary sector. Work is also going on in partnership with the voluntary sector to address the needs of younger sufferers and their carers.

D’aimsigh an Tuairisc Scrúdain ar Pholasaí Néaltraithe, a foilsíodh i mBealtaine 1995, cúig phríomhghné a bhí de dhíth le freagra a thabhairt ar dhúshlán an néaltraithe:

• Diagnóis luath gach duine a bhfuil néaltrú air
• Tacaíocht luath agus leanúnach ag brath ar an riachtanas measúnaithe
• Tacaíocht do chúramóirí
• Clár ar leith do dhaoine níos óige a bhfuil néaltú orthu; agus
• Leanúnachas cúraim á chur ar fáil ag daoine atá oilte mar is ceart in áiseanna cuí.

Ghlac mo Roinn leis an Tuairisc Scrúdain mar dhúshraith don pholasaí san ábhar seo agus d’iarr an Straitéis Reigiúnach le haghaidh Sláinte agus Folláine Sóisialta ar Bhoird agus ar Iontaobhais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta céimeanna a thabhairt leis na moltaí s’acu uile a chur i bhfeidhm - 33 acu san iomlán.

Rinneadh dul chun cinn suntasach leis an chlár um ghníomh a leagadh amach sa Tuairisc Scrúdain a chur i bhfeidhm.

Glacadh leis an tábhacht a bhí le diagnóis luath agus d’fhorbair gach Bord straitéisí le hiarracht a dhéanamh le cinntiú go ndéantar an diagnóis a luaithe is féidir. Tá foireann Bhoird agus Iontaobhais ag obair le heagraíochtaí deonacha amhail an Cumann Alzheimer le feasacht néalraithe a chur chun cinn. Rinneadh infheistíocht shuntasach i mbunú foirne ildisciplíneacha agus cuireadh tionscnaimh oiliúna i bhfeidhm don fhoireann. Tá gréasán grúpaí tacaíochta cúramóirí i bhfeidhm i ngach ceantar Boird agus forbraíodh oiliúint do chúramóirí i gcomhar leis an earnáil dheonach. Tá obair idir lámha i bpáirtíocht leis an earnáil dheonach le dul i ngleic le riachtanais fulangaithe óga agus a gcúramóirí.

Urban and Rural: Definitions

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the definition of (a) urban and (b) rural used within her Department.

(AQW 1053/00)

Ms de Brún: The Department does not have a standard definition of urban and rural for use in all circumstances.

For example, the ambulance service uses the same population density figures as Great Britain to define health and social services board areas as urban, rural or sparsely populated for the application of ORCON response targets.

There is also a rural practice payments fund from which payments are made to GPs on the basis of mileage units credited to practitioners subject to certain conditions.

Níl sainmhíniú caighdeánach ag an Roinn do ‘uirbeach’ agus do ‘tuathúil’ ar féidir léi a úsáid i ngach cúrsa.

Mar shampla, úsáideann an tSeirbhís Otharcharr na figiúirí dlús daonra céanna is a úsáidtear ar an Bhreatain Mhór le ceantair Bhoird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta a dheimhniú mar cheantar uirbeach, tuathúil nó mar cheantar le daonra gann le spriocanna freagartha ORCON a chur i bhfeidhm agus ar obair.

Tá Ciste Íocaíochtaí Cleachtaidh Tuaithe ann fosta ónar féidir Dochtúirí Ginearálta a íoc de réir ionad míleáiste creidmheasta do dhochtúirí faoi réir coinníollacha áirithe.

Psychiatric Day Hospital Facilities

Ms McWilliams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the staffing levels at each grade in psychiatric day hospital facilities in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1084/00)

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

Tá an t-eolas a iarradh sonraithe sa tábla thíos.

Health and Social Services Trusts: Non-Executive Directors

Ms McWilliams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the criteria for the appointment of non-executive directors to health and social service trusts.

(AQW 1086/00)

Ms de Brún: The appointment of non-executive directors to health and social services trusts is conducted in accordance with the principles established by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

A person who seeks appointment as a non-executive director of a Health and Social Services Trust must, in the first instance, meet two general criteria. They are, firstly, to have a commitment to the principles and objectives of the health and personal social services, and secondly, to live or work in, or have significant connections with, the area served by the trust.

There are also more specific criteria to be met. A non-executive director must have particular experience or expertise, which would benefit the running of a trust. Such expertise would include relevant professional skills, management skills gained in either the private, public or voluntary sectors, experience of voluntary or community work, or an ability to bring a user or carer perspective to the decision-making of a trust board. A non-executive director must also possess the competencies and personal qualities considered necessary for the post. These include abilities such as team-working, developing relationships, communicating effectively, analysing complex problems, and commitment, diplomacy and integrity.

I am especially keen to attract nominations for appointment from people with experience at grassroots community level, and from all sections of society and all social classes, particularly women, disabled people and people from ethnic minorities.

Ceaptar stiúrthóirí neamhfheidhmeannacha do na hIontaobhais Shláinte agus Sheirbhísí Sóisialta de réir na bprionsabal leagtha síos ag Coimisinéir na gCeapachán Poiblí.

Sa chéad dul síos caithfidh duine atá ag iarraidh ceapachán a fháil mar stiúrthóir neamhfheidhmeannach in Iontaobhais Shláinte agus Sheirbhísí Sóisialta dhá chritéar ginearálta a chomhlíonadh. Is iad na critéir, sa chéad áit, go gcaithfidh siad bheith ceangailte le prionsabail agus spriocanna Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta Pearsanta, agus sa dara áit, bheith ina gcónaí nó ag obair, nó baint thábhachtach a bheith acu leis an cheantar a ndéanann an tIontaobhas freastal air.

Tá critéir níos sainiúla le comhlíonadh chomh maith. Caithfidh stiúrthóir neamhfheidhmeannach taithí nó tallann ar leith a bheith acu a rachadh chun sochair d’obair an Iontaobhais. Ar na rudaí seo bheadh scileanna gairmiúla ábhartha, scileanna bainistíochta a fuarthas sna hearnálacha príobháideacha, poiblí nó deonacha, taithí ar obair dheonach nó obair don phobal, nó go bhfuil siad ábalta peirspictíocht an úsáideora nó an tsoláthraí cúraim a thabhairt chuig socruithe Boird Iontaobhais. Caithfidh na héirimí agus cáilíochtaí pearsanta a bheith ag stiúrthóir neamhfheidhmeannach a meastar a bheith riachtanach don phost. Ar na hábaltachtaí seo tá rudaí mar an cumas bheith ag obair mar chuid d’fhoireann, caidrimh a fhorbairt, cumarsáid a dhéanamh go héifeachtach, anailís a dhéanamh ar fhadhbanna casta, agus díograis, cáiréis agus macántacht.

Go háirithe tá mé ar bís le hainmnithe a spreagadh ó dhaoine a bhfuil taithí acu ag leibhéal an ghnáthphobail, agus ó gach cuid den sochaí agus ó gach aicme, go háirithe ó mhná, daoine míchumasacha agus daoine ó mhionlachtaí eitneacha.

Buildings and Amenities: West Tyrone

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to (a) detail all buildings and amenities within her responsibility in the constituency of West Tyrone (b) outline the percentage of her budget that has been allocated to the West Tyrone constituency and (c) explain how this compares with the previous budget.

(AQW 1088/00)

Ms de Brún: All buildings and amenities within my responsibility in the West Tyrone constituency are listed below:

As resources are allocated to health and social services boards rather than by constituency area, an outline of the percentage of my budget that has been allocated to the West Tyrone constituency could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Tá na foirgnimh agus na háiseanna uilig i ndáilcheantar Thír Eoghain Thiar atá faoi mo chúram liostáilte thíos:

Ní fhéadfaí achoimre a thabhairt ar chéatadán mo bhuiséid a dáileadh ar dháilcheantar Thír Eoghain Thiar ach ar chostas díréireach mar go roinntear acmhainní ar Bhoird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta ná de réir dáilcheantair.

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