Friday 19 January 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Occupational Therapists

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of occupational therapists currently employed by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and to confirm that eight new occupational therapists are needed to address the present workload.

(AQW 1178/00)

Ms de Brún: Occupational therapists in the Health and Personal Social Services are employed by health and social services trusts. The number employed by each trust within the Eastern Health and Social Services Board area at 30 September 2000 is set out in the table below.

Health and social services boards and trusts are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient occupational therapists to provide the level of service to meet the assessed need of their population.

Fostaíonn iontaobhais SSS na teiripithe saothair sna seirbhísí sláinte agus sna seirbhísí sóisialta pearsanta. Tá an líon a d’fhostaigh gach iontaobhas i gceantar Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Oirthir leagtha amach sa tábla thíos.

Tá boird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta freagrach as a chinntiú go bhfuil go leor teiripithe saothair ann leis an leibhéal seirbhíse a sholáthar a fhreagraíonn do riachtanas measúnaithe an phobail áitiúil.

Trust Boards: Personal Expenses

Mr Adams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the level of spending on personal expenses by each trust board area in each of the last four years.

(AQW 1183/00)

Ms de Brún: The reimbursement of personal expenses to trust chief executives and executive directors is as follows:

Is mar a leanas atá na suimeanna a cúitíodh le príomhfheidhmeannaigh iontaobhais agus le stiúrthóirí feidhmiúcháin as a gcaiteachas pearsanta:

Trust Board Chief Executives:
Personal Expenses

Mr Adams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the level of personal expenses paid to trust board chief executives in each of the last four years.

(AQW 1184/00)

Ms de Brún: The amounts paid to trust chief executives in reimbursement of personal expenses is as follows:

Is mar a leanas atá na suimeanna a cúitíodh le príomhfheidhmeannaigh iontaobhais as a gcaiteachas pearsanta:

Residential Care Homes for Children

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the steps she is taking to improve the recruitment and terms of service for those who work in residential care homes for children.

(AQW 1185/00)

Ms de Brún: Last year I established the Children Matter taskforce because of the recognised shortage of residential care places for children. The role of the taskforce is to produce a realistic and achievable regional plan for the expansion of residential childcare services. I am expecting to receive the regional plan shortly from the taskforce.

A human resources sub-group of the taskforce was established in October 2000 to develop a strategy for the recruitment of staff to meet the requirements of an expanded residential childcare sector. The recruitment strategy will also address the issue of retaining staff within this sector, by addressing issues such as the provision of appropriate training and support to residential staff.

Bhunaigh mé an tascfhórsa Tábhacht le Páistí anuraidh mar gheall ar an ghanntanas aitheanta cúraim chónaithe do pháistí. Is é ról an tascfhórsa plean réigiúnach réadúil so-aimsithe a chur amach le haghaidh fairsingiú seirbhísí cúraim chónaithe do pháistí. Tá coinne agam an plean réigiúnach a fháil ón tascfhórsa gan mhoill.

Bunaíodh fo-ghrúpa acmhainní daonna den tascfhórsa i mí Dheireadh Fómhair 2000 le straitéis d’earcaíocht foirne a fhorbairt le freastal ar riachtanais earnáil fhorbartha cúraim chónaithe do pháistí. Tabharfaidh an straitéis earcaíochta aghaidh ar conas foireann a choinneáil san earnáil seo fosta trí plé le soláthar na hoiliúna agus na tacaíochta cuí don fhoireann chónaithe.

Child Maltreatment

Mr Close asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the implications for her Department of the recently published NSPCC report into child maltreatment, and if she will make a statement.

(AQO 546/00)

Ms de Brún: Child abuse and the need to safeguard children is a matter of concern to all of us, and I welcome the NSPCC’s report on child maltreatment.

The report contains a large number of recommendations in relation to further research, training, public education, data collection and strategies for dealing with child abuse. My Department will be considering the report carefully, and I will take account of it when developing future policy for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Is cúis imní dúinn uilig í an mhí-úsáid páistí agus an gá le páistí a chosaint, agus cuirim fáilte roimh thuairisc an NSPCC ar dhrochíde ar pháistí.

Tá cuid mhór moltaí sa tuairisc maidir le níos mó taighde, traenáil, oideachas poiblí, bailiú sonraí agus straitéisí le déileáil le mí-úsáid páistí. Beidh mo Roinn ag déanamh dianmhachnaimh ar an tuairisc, agus cuirfidh mé san áireamh í i bhforbairt polasaithe amach anseo le páistí a chosaint agus lena leas a chothú.

Erne Hospital

Mr McHugh asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assurance that full gynaecology services will be reinstated in the Erne Hospital at the earliest opportunity.

(AQO 559/00)

Ms de Brún: The decision to combine gynaecology and female surgical services at the Erne hospital is a contingency arrangement, agreed by the Sperrin Lakeland Trust and the Western Health and Social Services Board, to enable the trust to handle winter pressures. This is a temporary measure, and the trust advised the Department last week that they intend restoring normal services from 5 February, subject to emergency activity remaining within manageable proportions.

Is socrú teagmhasach é an cinneadh, aontaithe ag Iontaobhas Loch-Cheantar Speirín agus ag Bord an Iarthair, seirbhísí gínéiceolaíochta agus máinliachta ban ag Otharlann na hÉirne a chur le chéile le cuidiú leis an iontaobhas agus leis an bhord brúnna an gheimhridh a láimhseáil. Is beart sealadach é seo, agus thug an t-iontaobhas le fios don Roinn an tseachtain seo chuaigh thart go bhfuil rún acu gnáthsheirbhísí a chur in áit arís ó 5 Feabhra, ar choinníoll go bhfanann gníomhaíocht éigeandála faoi stiúir.

Quality Protects Legislation

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if it is her intention to bring quality protects legislation into Northern Ireland.

(AQO 553/00)

Ms de Brún: As I indicated to the Assembly on 12 December during the debate on the Health Committee’s Report on residential and secure accommodation for children, I intend to produce a regional overview of the way forward for children’s services. I will also be bringing forward a range of proposals relating to children’s services to address the same broad issues covered by the quality protects programme in England. In doing so, I will also look at the new national children’s strategy in the South.

Mar a thug mé le fios don Tionól ar 12 Nollaig le linn na díospóireachta ar thuairisc an Choiste Sláinte ar chóiríocht chónaithe agus dhaingean do pháistí, tá rún agam forbhreathnú réigiúnach a thabhairt chun cinn ar an bhealach chun tosaigh do sheirbhísí páistí. Chomh maith leis sin beidh mé ag tabhairt réimse moltaí chun tosaigh maidir le seirbhísí páistí le tabhairt faoi na saincheisteanna leathana céanna a chlúdaítear ag an chlár quality protects (cosnaíonn cáilíocht) i Sasana. Agus seo á dhéanamh agam, amharcfaidh mé ar straitéis nua náisiúnta na bpáistí sa Deisceart.

Department of Health,
Social Services and Public Safety:
Audited Figures for 1999-2000

Mr McFarland asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety when the Department’s audited figures for the year 1999-2000 will be available.

(AQO 554/00)

Ms de Brún: Appropriation accounts for 1999-2000 were prepared on the basis of the Departmental structure as at 1 April 1999 — before the Executive was established. The appropriation accounts for the former Department of Health and Social Services have now been audited, and I understand that they will be published shortly by the Comptroller and Auditor General, as normal, in a single volume covering the accounts of all Departments.

In addition to the appropriation accounts, summarised accounts for health and social services organisations are also published. These contain a summary of the audited accounts of the individual HPSS bodies and are produced and audited somewhat later than the Department’s accounts. The summary of the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 accounts have been passed to the Comptroller and Auditor General for audit. I understand that he is currently finalising his report on the 1998-99 accounts, and they too will be available for publication shortly. The 1999-2000 summarised accounts are likely to be published in the summer.

Ullmhaíodh cuntais leithreasaithe do 1999-2000 ar bhonn an struchtúir Roinne ar an 1 Aibreán 1999, is é sin sular cuireadh an Coiste Feidhmiúcháin ar bun. Tá cuntais leithreasaithe don iar-Roinn Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta iniúchta anois agus tuigim go bhfoilseoidh an tArd-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste gan mhoill iad, mar is gnách, in imleabhar amháin ag cumhdach chuntais na Ranna uilig.

I dteannta na gcuntas leithreasaithe, foilsítear cuntais achoimrithe d’eagraíochtaí sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta fosta. Tá achoimre chuntais iniúchta na bhforas SSSP aonair iontu agus cuirtear amach agus iniúchtar iad níos moille ná cuntais na Roinne. Tugadh an achoimre a rinneadh ar chuntais 1998-1999 agus 1999-2000 don Ard-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste le hiniúchadh. Tuigim go bhfuil sé ag cur bailchríche ar a thuairisc ar chuntais 1998-1999 faoi láthair, agus beidh siad ar fáil le foilsiú ar ball. Is dócha go bhfoilseofar cuntais achoimrithe 1999-2000 sa samhradh.

General Practitioner Fundholding

Dr Birnie asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assessment of the size, in terms of population coverage, of the health committees to replace current GP fundholding and trust arrangements.

(AQO 544/00)

Ms de Brún: On 11 December I published a consultation paper ‘Building the Way Forward in Primary Care’, which sets out proposals for new arrangements in primary care to be put in place following the end of the GP fundholding scheme.

The paper proposes that groupings of primary care professionals, called local health and social care groups, should be constituted as committees of Health and Social Services boards and be given the remit of improving the delivery of primary care services to local populations and contributing to the commissioning of health and social services for the populations they serve. It proposes that they might typically cover populations in the region of 50,000 to 150,000. The paper also suggests that the actual population coverage would vary according to local geography and demography and that it would be inappropriate to impose strict population limits.

There are no proposals in the paper concerning trust arrangements.

Ar 11 Nollaig d’fhoilsigh mé páipéar comhairliúcháin ‘Ag Déanamh an Bhealaigh chun Tosaigh sa Chúram Phríomhúil’ a leagann amach moltaí ar shocruithe nua sa chúram phríomhúil atá le cur i bhfeidhm i ndiaidh dheireadh na scéime cisteshealbhúchais liachleachtóirí.

Molann an páipéar gur chóir meithle gairmithe chúraim phríomhúil, dar teideal grúpaí sláinte áitiúla agus cúraim shóisialta, a chur le chéile mar choistí bhoird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta. Ba sainchúram dóibh feabhsú cúraim phríomhúil do dhaonraí áitiúla a sholáthar agus cur le coimisiniú seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta do na daonraí a bhfuil siad ag freastal orthu. Moltar gur chóir dóibh freastal ar dhaonraí de 50,000 go 150,000. Tugann an páipéar le fios chomh maith go mbeadh duifear idir na daonraí a chlúdófaí ag brath ar thíreolaíocht agus ar dhéimeagrafaíocht na háite agus nár cheart teorainneacha righne daonra a leagan síos.

Níl moltaí sa pháipéar ag baint le socruithe iontaobhas.

Health Boards: Projected Budgets

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to indicate the projected budget for 2001-02 for each of the Northern Ireland health boards, using: (a) the current weighted capitation formula; (b) the proposed new weighted capitation formula as outlined in the ‘Third Report From The Capitation Formula Review Group’ and if she will make a statement.

(AQO 552/00)

Ms de Brún: I am not yet in a position to provide detailed budgets for health and social services boards for 2001-02. However, I can confirm that full implementation of the proposals set out in the third report of the capitation formula review group would lead to marginal changes in the relative shares of resources for each board. The current shares excluding transitional relief for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Board areas are 42·11%, 23·69%, 17·67% and 16·53% respectively. These would change to 41·93% for the Eastern Board, 23·71% for the Northern Board, 17·67% for the Southern Board and 16·69% for the Western Board.

Some further adjustments may be necessary following my consideration of the responses to the consultation document. When the figures are finalised it is my intention to phase their implementation to minimise any financial instability for boards whose capitation share is reducing.

While I have not yet reached a decision my present view is that implementation should be phased over three years to ensure that change is manageable.

Níl mé i riocht go fóill mionbhuiséid do bhoird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta don bhliain 2001-02 a chur ar fáil. Is féidir liom a dhearbhú áfach gur athruithe imeallacha i scaireanna coibhneasta na n-acmhainní do gach bord an toradh a bheadh ar chur i bhfeidhm iomlán na moltaí atá leagtha amach sa tríú tuairisc den ghrúpa athbhreithnithe foirmle ceannsraithe. Is iad 42·11%, 23·69%, 17·67% agus 16·53% faoi seach na scaireanna atá ann faoi láthair do bhoird an oirthir, an tuaiscirt, an deiscirt agus an iarthair gan faoiseamh idirthréimhseach a chur san áireamh. D’athrófaí iad seo go 41·93% do Bhord an Oirthir, go 23·71% do Bhord an Tuaiscirt, go 17·67% do Bhord an Deiscirt agus go 16·69% do Bhord an Iarthair.

D’fhéadfaí tuilleadh coigeartuithe bheith de dhíth i ndiaidh mé na freagraí ar an cháipéis chomhairliúcháin a mheas. Nuair a bheas na figiúirí tugtha chun críche, tá sé ar intinn agam a gcur i bhfeidhm a thabhairt isteach céim ar chéim le éagobhsaíocht airgeadais ar bith do bhoird a íoslaghdú a bhfuil a scair cheannsraithe ag ísliú.

Cé nach bhfuil cinneadh déanta agam go fóill, is í mo thuairim faoi láthair gur chóir an cur i bhfeidhm a thabhairt isteach céim ar chéim thar trí bliana le cinntiú go bhfuil na hathruithe soláimhsithe.

Nurses

Mr McCarthy asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the provision she has made to increase the number of nurses employed in Northern Ireland and if she will make a statement.

(AQO 548/00)

Ms de Brún: In recognition of a current shortage of qualified nursing staff and the recruitment and retention difficulties being experienced by some health and personal social services, a number of initiatives have been taken to increase the number of nurses in employment.

In the short term, 117 qualified nursing staff are currently participating in return to professional practice training and will shortly be ready to resume nursing practice. Further training opportunities will be offered by the three in-service education units and both local universities over the next few months.

In order to enhance the supply of qualified nursing staff, an additional 300 training places for new nurses have been commissioned over a three-year period. The need for a further increase is also currently under consideration.

Health and personal social services employers recognise the need to operate recruitment and retention strategies that encourage nursing staff to join and remain in employment. These include minimising the use of temporary contracts and offering meaningful and acceptable terms and conditions of employment.

Leis an ghanntanas reatha de fhoireann cháilithe altranais agus na deacrachtaí earcaíochta agus coinneála atá ag roinnt fostóirí SSSP a chur ina gceart, cuireadh tús le roinnt tionscnamh le líon na n-altraí i bhfostaíocht a mhéadú.

Sa ghearrthéarma, tá 117 foireann altranais cáilithe rannpháirteach in oiliúnt filleadh ar chleachtas gairmiúil faoi láthair, agus beidh siad réidh ar ball le cleachtas a atosú. Cuirfidh na trí ionad oideachais inseirbhíse agus an dá ollscoil áitiúla deiseanna breise oiliúna ar fáil sna míonna seo chugainn.

Le soláthar fhoireann cháilithe altranais a mhéadú, coimisiúnaíodh 300 áit bhreise oiliúna d’altraí nua thar tréimhse trí bliana. Tá machnamh á dhéanamh fosta faoi láthair ar an ghá le méadú breise.

Aithníonn fostóirí seirbhísí sláinte agus pearsanta an gá le straitéisí earcaíochta agus coinneála a fheidhmiú a spreagfaidh foireann altranais le fostaíocht a ghlacadh agus le fanacht inti. Orthu seo tá íoslaghdú úsáid conarthaí sealadacha agus tairiscint téarmaí agus coinníollacha fostaíochta fiúntacha inghlactha.

HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

West Tyrone Budget Percentage

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to: (a) detail all buildings and amenities within his responsibility in the constituency of West Tyrone; (b) outline the percentage of his budget that has been allocated to the West Tyrone constituency; and (c) explain how this compares with the previous budget.

(AQW 1091/00)

The Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (Dr Farren): The only buildings and amenities for which I have responsibility in your constituency are the job centres in Kevlin Avenue, Omagh and Upper Main Street, Strabane.

The information requested in parts (b) and (c) of your question is not recorded on a constituency basis and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Quality of Teaching

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to give his assessment of the current quality of teaching in further education colleges.

(AQW 1137/00)

Dr Farren: Good quality teaching in further education colleges is essential if students are to achieve their maximum potential and contribute to society and the Northern Ireland economy.

Unlike any other part of the UK, all full-time lecturers and associate lecturers — part-time with teacher recognition — in further education are required to be trained teachers either when they commence teaching, with a Bachelor of Education or Postgraduate Certificate in Education, or within the first three years of taking up appointment. In the case of the latter, lecturers study on a part-time basis at the University of Ulster for a Postgraduate Certificate in Further and Higher Education.

The governing body in each college of further education has responsibility for the quality of teaching in that college and, in addition, the education and training inspectorate assesses the quality of teaching and learning as part of its inspection process.

In the past two years approximately 600 teaching sessions were observed. Approximately 25% of the lessons observed were excellent, 54% were good, and 20% were satisfactory. One percent of the lessons was unsatisfactory.

In an effort to help colleges assess quality of teaching the education and training inspectorate has produced indicators of quality, which inspectors use to assess the quality of provision.

The inspectorate has also introduced an associate assessor scheme where lecturers are trained by the inspectorate in classroom observation to make judgements on the quality of teaching and learning. These lecturers will work alongside the inspectorate in college inspections.

Raising standards and promoting quality are priorities for the further education sector generally. Good quality teaching is an essential component.

Whilst overall performance is very good, it is an area I will keep under constant scrutiny.

Centres of Excellence

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to explain why there are no centres of excellence being created in colleges of further education west of the Bann.

(AQW 1145/00)

Dr Farren: Bids from further education colleges for recognition as centres of excellence were considered by an independent assessment panel, which included industry representatives and the education and training inspectorate. Bids were assessed against a number of criteria, which focused on standards, quality and industry responsiveness.

The panel concluded that eight bids were strong enough to meet the criteria for recognition as centres of excellence. These included the Upper Bann Institute of Further and Higher Education bid to be recognised as a centre of excellence in ICT and Computing. A number of other bids of a high standard, including some from the North West Institute and Fermanagh College, were considered worthy of recognition and the award of additional funding to help them improve quality/standards and links with industry.

The centre of excellence initiative is part of the wider strategic investment initiative, totalling £3·7million, from which all colleges benefited. Armagh, East Tyrone, Fermanagh and Omagh colleges benefited from funding set aside to assist the development of strategic alliances, and Armagh, East Tyrone and Omagh colleges received funding to assist the alignment of existing staffing with evolving economic needs. Not all colleges bid against all the components of the strategic investment initiative.

The additional investment of £3·7 million in further education colleges demonstrates our continuing commitment to the achievement of the highest standards by the sector including its responsiveness to the needs of local business and industry.

Basic Literacy and Numeracy Skills

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to outline his plans to reduce the number of adults who lack basic literacy and numeracy skills.

(AQW 1157/00)

Dr Farren: The findings of the international adult literacy survey, in which Northern Ireland was benchmarked against almost all the OECD countries, indicate that approximately 24% of the adult population in Northern Ireland perform at the lowest levels of literacy. Improving basic skills is one of the key challenges facing my Department. To this end a number of initiatives have already been taken to tackle the problem.

Basic Skills Unit

A basic skills unit has been set up within the educational guidance service for adults (EGSA), but relating to the basic skills committee. The role of this new committee and unit is to provide the Department with advice on adult literacy and numeracy issues. It will identify, promote and support good practice in teaching and learning basic skills, support innovation in basic skills education, and encourage collaboration between providers. A basic skills unit innovation fund has been established to promote and support innovative approaches in the delivery of basic skills to adults within the wider community. Additionally, I have asked the basic skills unit to advise me on a range of targets for taking people out of basic skills and how best to measure progress against these targets. I have sought their advice on how to market and promote basic skills education and how the teacher base might be expanded.

Learndirect

Basic skills is also one of the key priorities set by Government for the university for industry (UFI). UFI has commissioned materials in this area, making use of the latest technologies, and these are accessible by anyone, anywhere and at any time under the brand name of learndirect. For those without access to a computer the training material can be accessed at a range of learndirect learning centres – 16 of which are already open or will open shortly in Northern Ireland.

The Department has put funding arrangements in place for learners in learndirect centres. Under these arrangements all basic skills courses are offered free of charge to learners, up to a maximum cost of £500 per person per year.

New Deal

In December 1999 the agency set up a basic skills working group to review basic skills within New Deal. A "toolkit", aimed at raising the awareness of New Deal personal advisers of basic skills issues and to assist in identifying clients with basic skills needs was developed and is currently being rolled out to the jobcentre network. The group is also involved with a New Deal curriculum project which aims to consider exemplars of good practice in basic skills delivery and report on the requirements of the New Deal sector when implementing the new basic skills standards and curriculum.

Developments in GB

The Department for Education and Employment has published its strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy recently. My officials are studying these proposals closely and these, together with advice from the basic skills unit, will help inform our own strategy. There will be liaison with other Departments given the particular cross-cutting nature of this issue. I will keep progress in this area of work under review, but I am confident that with sustained effort we can make a real difference.

<< Prev / Next >>