Friday 26 January 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of hip replacement operations which took place in Northern Ireland over the past twelve months.

(AQW 1270/00)

Ms de Brún: In the financial year 1999/2000 — the latest date for which information is available — 1,410 hip replacement operations were carried out at local hospitals.

Sa bhliain airgeadais 1999/2000 (an dáta is déanaí dá bhfuil eolas ar fáil), rinneadh 1,410 obráid malartaithe cromáin in otharlanna áitiúla.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to (a) confirm that the Ulster Hospital Trust made a detailed submission to her officials at the 14 December 2000 meeting; (b) give her assessment of that submission concerning the capital needs of the Ulster Hospital Trust and; (c) outline when firm decisions will be taken to address its needs.

(AQW 1271/00)

Ms de Brún: I can confirm that the Ulster Community and Hospitals HSS Trust set out its proposed strategic development plan for the Ulster Hospital at a meeting with my officials on 14 December 2000 and provided copies of their plan. A revised plan was forwarded to the Department on 10 January 2001. My Department is urgently assessing the detail of the plan, which proposes a major upgrade of the hospital phased over a seven-year period. When this has been completed I will consider the options available and announce my decision on the proposals as soon as possible.

Tig liom a dhearbhú gur leag Iontaobhas SSS Otharlanna agus Phobal Uladh a phlean forbartha straitéiseach d’Otharlann Uladh amach ag cruinniú le mo chuid feidhmeannach ar an 14 Nollaig 2000 agus sholáthraigh sé cóipeanna dá phlean. Seoladh plean leasaithe chuig an Roinn ar an 10 Eanáir 2001. Tá mo Roinn ag measúnú shonraí an phlean faoi théirim, plean a mholann móruasghrádú na hotharlainne a bheas á chéimniú thar tréimhse seacht mbliana. Nuair a chríochnófar seo, déanfaidh mé machnamh ar na roghanna a bheas ar fáil agus fógróidh mé mo chinneadh ar na moltaí a luaithe agus is féidir.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to; (a) outline what requests were made during the months of October, November and December 2000 for the purchase of essential equipment by the Royal Group of Hospitals, Belfast City Hospital and the Ulster Hospital; (b) detail of what those requests consisted and; (c) detail what payments were made to each hospital in respect of those requests.

(AQW 1272/00)

Ms de Brún: My Department received a request dated 16 November 2000 from the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust for critical items of medical equipment for the Ulster Hospital. These are required for anaesthetics and theatres, clinical diagnostics, woman and child health, specialist surgery, general medicine, pharmacy and acute elderly care. The total cost is estimated at £1·48 million. This is being considered for priority for funding.

No requests have been received for funding for essential equipment for the Royal Group of Hospitals or the Belfast City Hospital between October and December 2000.

Fuair mo Roinn iarratas dátaithe 16 Samhain 2000 ó Iontaobhas Ospidéal agus Phobal Uladh do bhaill ghéarchéimeacha de threalamh míochaine d’Ospidéal Uladh. Tá siad seo de dhíth d’ainéistéisigh agus d’obrádlanna, d’fháthmheasa cliniciúla, do shláinte mná agus páiste, do mháinliacht speisialtóra, do mhíochaine ghinearálta, do chógaisíocht agus do ghéarchúram seandaoine. Meastar gur £1·48 mhilliún an costas iomlán atá orthu. Tá machnamh á dhéanamh ar a dtosaíocht do mhaoiniú.

Ní bhfuarthas iarratas ar bith do mhaoiniú do threalamh riachtanach do Ghrúpa Ríoga na nOtharlann nó d’Otharlann Cathrach Bhéal Feirste idir Meán Fómhair agus Nollaig 2000.

Ms Hanna asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assessment of the demise of the national board for nursing, midwifery and health visiting in Northern Ireland and of the proposed new nursing body for Northern Ireland to replace it.

(AQW 1273/00)

Ms de Brún: A review of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1997 identified a number of weakness in the current Act and the new proposals are aimed to modernise and strengthen professional regulation and make public protection paramount by increasing lay involvement to balance professional influence. The proposed new nursing and midwifery council will have tougher powers to tackle poor professional conduct and performance with streamlined procedures to ensure fitness for practice including quality assurance of professional training.

I wish to see the creation of a replacement body to the national board, as there is a need to establish local arrangements for overseeing the implementation of the standards set by the new council and for establishing an appropriate relationship with it. The responses to a consultation paper on the structure and functions of a new local body are currently being considered and I will come to a final decision in due course.

D’aimsigh athbhreithniú a rinneadh ar an Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1997 roinnt laigí san Acht reatha agus tá na moltaí nua dírithe ar nuachóiriú a chur ar an rialúchán gairmiúil agus é a neartú agus cosaint an phobail a chur os cionn gach ní trí tuilleadh gnáthdhaoine a tharraingt isteach mar chothromú ar thionchar an luchta ghairmiúil. Beidh cumhachtaí níos láidre ag an Chomhairle Altranais agus Chnáimhseachais nua atá molta chun tabhairt faoi dhrochiompar agus faoi dhrochfheidhmiú ghairmiúil agus beidh gnásanna á dtabhairt chun rialtachta lena chinntiú go mbeidh altraí oiriúnach don chleachtas agus beidh deimhniú cáilíochta maidir le hoiliúint ghairmiúil san áireamh.

Ba mhaith liom a fheiceáil go gcruthófar comhlacht a ghlacfaidh áit an Bhoird Náisiúnta, nó is gá go ndéanfar socruithe go haitiúil chun maoirseacht a dhéanamh ar fhorfheidhmiú na gcaighdeán a leagfaidh an Chomhairle nua amach agus chun go mbunófar an caidreamh cuí léi. Tá bhreithniú á dhéanamh faoi láthair ar na freagraí a fuarthas i dtaobh an Pháipéir Comhairliúcháin ar struchtúr agus ar fheidhmeanna comhlachta nua áitiúil agus déanfaidh mé an cinneadh deireanach in am agus i dtráth.

Ms Hanna asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail what funding is to be made available to pay for discretionary points for nurses, midwives and professions allied to medicine.

(AQW 1274/00)

Ms de Brún: The resources for pay of staff are contained within the budget allocations made to health and social services bodies each year. No specific allocation is made for discretionary pay points.

Tá na hacmhainní airgid leis an fhoireann a íoc sna dáiltí buiséid a thugtar do na forais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta gach bliain. Ní thugtar dáileadh ar leith do phointí íocaíochta discréideacha.

Ms Hanna asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail what funding will be made available to pay for the implementation of the working time regulations such as annual leave payments and compensatory rest payments.

(AQW 1275/00)

Ms de Brún: The cost of implementing the working time regulations has already been included in the allocations made to health and social services boards in 1999/00 and 2000/01.

Cuireadh an costas do chur i bhfeidhm na rialacha am oibre cheana féin leis na dáiltí a tugadh do bhoird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta i 1999-00 agus i 2000-01.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to; (a) confirm that the morning-after pill is to be made available in schools through the school nurse; (b) detail under which provision she made the decision; (c) detail when it became available, and; (d) outline what policy is in place regarding its regulation.

(AQW 1280/00)

Ms de Brún: There has been no decision to make the morning-after pill available in schools through the school nurse. All school nurse activities on school premises are a matter for agreement with school headmasters and school boards of governors. However, I should point out that there are no nurses here who are entitled to prescribe the morning-after pill.

Ní dhearnadh cinneadh ar bith an piolla don mhaidin dar gcionn a chur ar fáil i scoileanna ón altra scoile. Ar chomhaontú le príomhoidí agus le boird gobharnóirí scoileanna a bhraitheann gníomhartha uilig altraí scoile ar áitribh scoile. Caithfidh mé a rá, áfach, nach bhfuil altraí ar bith anseo i dteideal an piolla don mhaidin dar gcionn a ordú.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline her plans to ensure that out-of-hours GP services are not impaired by severe weather conditions.

(AQW 1286/00)

Ms de Brún: As independent contractors, GPs are responsible for making their own arrangements for services to their patients during the out-of-hours period. No specific concerns about severe weather conditions have been drawn to my attention.

Mar chonraitheoirí néamhspleácha, níl gnáthdhochtúirí freagrach as a socruithe féin a dhéanamh faoi choinne seirbhísí dá gcuid othar i rith na tréimhse taobh amuigh de ghnáthuaireanta oibre. Níor cuireadh faoi mo bhráid buairimh áirithe faoi ghéarchoinníollacha aimsire.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to; (a) detail the number of calls each out-of-hours GP facility received each day during the period from 13 May 2000 to 10 June 2000; (b) the number of calls each out-of-hours GP received each day during the period from 13 December 2000 to 10 January 2001 and; (c) the number of calls for each of these periods that were dealt with by; (1) advice given over the telephone; (2) the patient visiting the out of hours clinic; (3) a doctor’s visit; (4) despatch of an ambulance to bring the patient to hospital, or; (5) advice to the patient to make their own way to hospital.

(AQW 1287/00)

Ms de Brún: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Níl an t-eolas san fhoirm a iarradh ar fáil go furasta agus ní fhéadfaí é a fháil ach ar chostas díréireach.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail; (a) the location of every out of hours GP facility in Northern Ireland and; (b) the number of out-of-hours GP facilities that are located on roads not on the Roads Service’s gritting schedules.

(AQW 1288/00)

(a) The locations of the out-of-hours centres in each health and social services board area are set out below.

Mr Dodds asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of people waiting for an occupational therapy assessment and being seen within the charter standard of three months; (a) in Northern Ireland; (b) in each of the health and social services board areas, and; (c) in each of the health and social services trust areas.

(AQW 1297/00)

Ms de Brún: Information is provided in the table below in respect of the charter standards for priority cases and other cases. Priority cases are defined as those people coming out of hospital and who at risk; those living alone and at risk; those living with a disabled/elderly carer or those terminally ill. The charter standard is that assessment should start within two weeks of being referred. Other cases are defined as non-priority cases and the charter standard is that assessment should start within three months of referral. The information is at 30 September 2000.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline; (a) the availability of access to specialist services for people suffering a stroke, and; (b) if she will make additional resources available for the treatment of this condition.

(AQW 1299/00)

Ms de Brún: There are stroke units in all four health and social services board areas:-

(i) Eastern board. In the Royal Victoria Hospital all stroke patients admitted are cared for in two designated wards, with stroke rehabilitation centred in another. There are also stroke units in the Belfast City Hospital, the Ulster Hospital, while Lagan Valley Hospital provides a stroke rehabilitation unit. Discussions are ongoing at present between the board, the Royal Group and the Mater Trust about the further development of stroke services in the Belfast area.

(ii) Western board. Services for stroke patients are provided in a 12-bed unit in the Erne Hospital. This provides for the acute and rehabilitation stages.

(iii) Northern board. The main services for stroke patients are located at the Braid Valley Hospital, a 12-bed dedicated unit. Rehabilitation services are also provided for stroke patients in the geriatric unit at Coleraine Hospital.

(iv) Southern board. There is a stroke unit in Lurgan Hospital. All stroke patients in this area are initially admitted to Craigavon Area Hospital and those deemed suitable for treatment and rehabilitation are transferred to the stroke unit in Lurgan.

It is a matter for health and social services boards, in conjunction with trusts and others, to determine how best to meet local needs, including those of patients suffering from strokes. Boards would be expected to meet the costs of such services from their budgets. However, I am aware of the historic underfunding of health and personal social services here, and I will continue to seek additional funding for the service as a whole in the future.

Tá aonaid stróic i ngach ceantar de na ceithre Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta:-

(i) I gceantar Bhord an Oirthir, san Ospidéal Ríoga Victeoiria tugtar cúram do na hothar a ligtear isteach i ndá bharda ainmnithe, le hathshlánú stróic lonnaithe i mbarda eile. Tá aonaid stróic in Ospidéal Chathair Bhéal Feirste, Ospidéal Uladh, agus Aonad Athshlánú Stróic curtha ar fáil ag Gleann an Lagáin. Tá cainteanna ann faoi láthair idir an Bord, an Grúpa Ríoga agus Iontaobhas an Mater faoi fhorbairt bhreise ar sheirbhísí stróic i mBéal Feirste.

(ii) I gceantar Bhord an Iarthair cuirtear seirbhísí ar fáil in Aonad 12 leaba in Ospidéal na hÉirne. Freastlaíonn an t-aonad seo ar na céimeanna géara agus na céimeanna athshlánaithe.

(iii) I mBord an Tuaiscirt tá na príomhsheirbhísí d’othair a raibh stróc orthu lonnaithe in Ospidéal Ghleann na Brád, aonad dílis 12 leaba. Tá seirbhísí athshlánaithe curtha ar fáil d’othair a raibh stróc orthu san aonad geiriatrach in Ospidéal Chúil Raithin.

(iv) I mBord an Deiscirt tá Aonad Stróic in Ospidéal na Lorgan. Ligtear othair a raibh stróc orthu isteach chuig Ospidéal Craigavon i dtús báire agus iad siúd a shíltear atá fóirsteanach do chóireál agus d’athshlánú aistrítear iad chuig an Aonad Stróic ar an Lorgain.

Is ceist í do na Boird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta, i gcomhar le hIontaobhais agus eile, le cinneadh a dhéanamh ar an dóigh is fearr le freastal ar riachtanais áitiúla, san áireamh tá othair a bhfuil stróc orthu. Beifí ag dúil go mbeadh na Boird ábalta íoc as na costais dá leithéid de sheirbhísí óna mbuiséid féin. Is eol dom, áfach, tearc-chistiú stairiúil na seirbhísí sláinte agus pearsanta sóisialta anseo agus leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh ag iarraidh tuilleadh airgid don tseirbhís ina hiomláine amach anseo.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the data her department collects concerning the availability of residential and nursing care beds in each of the health board areas; (b) how often this information is collected and collated, and; (c) in what form it is published.

(AQW 1302/00)

Ms de Brún: The Department collects information on the number of available places funded at residential homes on an annual basis. This information is disaggregated by programme of care and trust, and is published annually in the Department’s community statistics publication. Information on the total number of available beds in nursing homes, collected on an annual basis by the registration and inspection units of the health and social services boards, is also published annually in the community statistics publication.

Bailíonn an Roinn eolas go bliantúil ar líon na n-áiteanna atá ar fáil atá á maoiniú in árais chónaithe. Díbhailíonn clár cúraim agus iontaobhais an t-eolas seo, agus foilsítear go bliantúil i bhfoilseachán staitisticí pobail na Roinne é. Bailíonn ionaid chláraithe agus chigireachta na mbord sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta eolas go bliantúil ar líon iomlán na leapacha atá ar fáil in dtithe altranais agus foilsítear go bliantúil i bhfoilseachán staitisticí pobail na Roinne é seo fosta.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of men who have died from prostate cancer in each of the health board areas in the last year for which figures are available.

(AQW 1303/00)

Ms de Brún: The latest available information on deaths from prostate cancer is for the calendar year 1999 and is detailed in the table below.