(AQW 1512/00)

Ms de Brún: These figures are maintained on a hospital laboratory, and not a hospital-by-hospital, basis. In 2000, as shown in the table below, there were 121 such MRSA infections reported from 10 hospital laboratories.

Coinnítear na figiúirí seo de réir saotharlainne ospidéil, agus ní de réir ospidéal i ndiaidh a chéile. Sa bhliain 2000, mar a thaispeántar sa tábla thíos, tuairiscíodh ó 10 saotharlann ospidéil go raibh 121 chás ionfhabhtú MRSA den chineál sin ann.

(AQW 1513/00)

Ms de Brún: The surplus or deficit position of each HSS trust as at 31 March 2000 is set out in the attached table. The table shows the cumulative operational surplus or deficit position for each trust from its formation to 31 March 2000. The final figures for the current financial year will not be available until after end March 2001.

Tá barrachas nó easnamh gach iontaobhais SSS, mar a bhí ar an 31 Márta 2000, leagtha amach sa tábla atá i gceangal leis seo. Taispeántar sa tábla barrachas carnach oibríochtúil nó easnamh carnach oibríochtúil gach iontaobhais ó bunaíodh iad go dtí an 31 Márta 2000. Beidh na figiúirí deireanacha don bhliain airgeadais reatha ar fáil i ndiaidh dheireadh mhí Mhárta 2001.

(AQW 1515/00)

Ms de Brún: General practitioners, as independent contractors, are personally responsible for making arrangements for services to their patients during the out-of-hours period, ^{__ evenings, weekends and public holidays. Health} and social services boards, as the other party to the contract, are responsible for monitoring the adequacy and effectiveness of the out-of-hours arrangements.

The Southern Board has commissioned an evaluation of the out-of-hours services in the area that includes Middleton and in the light of the report, which is due shortly, will be considering the role and future development of GP out-of-hours services in its area.

Bíonn freagracht phearsanta ar dhochtúirí ginearálta, mar chonraitheoirí neamhspléacha, as socraithe a dhéanamh faoi sheirbhísí a n-othair le linn tréimhsí I ndiaidh uaireanta, - trathnónta, deireadh seachtainí, agus saoire phoiblí - Bíonn boird SHSS, mar an dara cuid den chonradh, freagrach as monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar leorgacht agus as éifeacht na socraithe do sheirbhís I ndiaidh uaireanta.

Choimisiúnaigh Bord an Deiscirt Theas meastóireacht ar na seirbhísí i ndiaidh uaireanta sa limistéar sin a chuimsíonn an Baile Lár, agus siocair na tuairisce air sin, a bheidh ar fail Roimh i bhfad, beidh siad ag meabhrú ar ról agus ar fhorbairt sa todhchaí de sheirbhísí DG I ndiaidh uaireanta sa limistéar sin.

(AQW 1525/00)

Ms de Brún: Since the launch of the drug strategy in August 1999, good progress has been made towards delivering its overall aims and objectives.

Four local drugs co-ordination teams are in place, comprising representatives from the key agencies working in the field. Each of these has produced, and is putting into effect, an action plan reflecting circumstances and priorities in its respective area. The key Departments and agencies have also produced, and are implementing, plans for action at the regional level across their various fields of responsibility.

Through the Department’s Drugs Information and Research Unit, a specialised information and research programme to support the drug strategy is being developed. Work is under way to establish accurate baselines against which to measure successes more precisely than has been possible in the past.

Over £4^.5 million additional resources have been allocated to a range of projects which are helping to deliver on many of the objectives of the drug strategy. These include a regional needle/syringe exchange scheme; education and awareness within schools and community groups; drugs education for parents; increased provision of treatment, rehabilitation and counselling services for drug users; and services designed to reduce drug use among offenders. All of the projects have been funded until March 2002 and will be fully evaluated to determine how effective they have been.

Most recently, my Department has created a dedicated drug strategy team to strengthen the capacity to tackle this important problem and a drug strategy co-ordinator has been appointed to lead the team. She will be driving forward action across Departments and agencies to implement the drug strategy, and will be considering what further steps need to be taken to sustain the momentum already achieved.

Ó seoladh an straitéis drugaí i Mí Lúnasa 1999, rinneadh dul chun cinn maith a h-aidhmeanna agus a cuspóirí iomlána a chomhlíonadh.

Tá ceithre fhoireann comhordaithe drugaí ann ina bhfuil ionadaithe ó na heochairghníomhaireachtaí atá ag obair sa réimse. Chuir gach ceann díobh seo amach plean gníomhaíochta a léiríonn tosca agus tosaíochtaí ina réimse féin; plean gníomhaíochta atá siad a chur i gcrích. Chuir na heochair-Ranna agus na heochairghníomhaireachtaí amach pleananna do ghníomhaíocht ag leibhéal réigiúnach trasna a réimsí éagsúla freagrachta, pleananna atá siad a chur i gcrích.

Trí ionad taighde agus eolais ar dhrugaí na Ranna, tá clár sainiúil eolais agus taighde á fhorbairt le tacú leis an straitéis drugaí. Ta obair ag dul ar aghaidh le bunlínte cruinne a bhunú lenar féidir rath a thomhas níos cruinne ná mar a tomhaisíodh roimhe seo.

Dáileadh breis agus £4^.5 milliún d’acmhainní breise ar réimse tionscadal atá ag cuidiú le cuid mhór de chuspóirí na straitéise drugaí a chomhlíonadh. Ina measc seo tá scéim mhalartaithe snáthaide/steallaire réigiúnach; oideachas agus eolas i scoileanna agus i ngrúpaí pobail; oideachas ar dhrugaí do thuismitheoirí; soláthar níos mó seirbhísí cóireála, athshlánaithe agus comhairliúcháin d’úsáideoirí drugaí, agus seirbhísí a ceapadh le húsáid drugaí ag ciontóirí a laghdú. Maoiníodh na tionscadail uilig go Mí an Mhárta 2002 agus déanfar measúnú iomlán orthu lena n-éifeachtacht a fháil amach.

Le déanaí, bhunaigh mo Roinn foireann straitéise drugaí dhíograiseach le cur leis an chumas dul i ngleic leis an fhadhb thábhachtach seo agus ceapadh comhordaitheoir straitéise drugaí le bheith i gceannas ar an fhoireann. Beidh sí ag spreagadh Ranna agus gníomhaireachtaí an straitéis drugaí a chur i bhfeidhm, agus beidh sí ag smaoineamh ar na bearta breise atá le déanamh leis an fhuinneamh a baineadh amach cheana féin a choinneáil ag dul.

(AQW 1528/00)

Ms de Brún: The York Health Economics Consortium is currently carrying out an evaluation of the Health Service complaints procedure throughout the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and the HPSS complaints procedures here. The final report is due to be finalised at the end of February 2001. I will wish to consider the findings in relation to the HPSS complaints procedures here when the report is finalised.

Faoi láthair, tá an cuibhreannas eacnamaíochta sláinte Eabharc i mbun meastóireachta ar mhodh gearáin na Seirbhíse Sláinte ar fud SSN i Sasana, in Albain, sa Bhreatain Bheag, agus modhanna gearáin na SSSP anseo. Tá an tuairisc dheireanach le bheith réidh faoi dheireadh Mhí Feabhra 2001. Beidh mé ag dúil leis na torthaí a mheas i dtaca le modh gearáin SSSP anseo, nuair a bhéas bailchríoch ar an tuairisc.

(AQW 1541/00)

Ms de Brún: Expenditure information is not available by parliamentary constituency.

Níl eolas ar chaiteachas ar fáil de réir toghcheantair pharlaiminte.

(AQW 1542/00)

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

Léirítear an t-eolas a iarradh sa tábla thíos.

(AQW 1543/00)

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

Léirítear an t-eolas a iarradh sa tábla thíos.

(AQW 1547/00)

Ms de Brún: I would refer the Member to my response to AQW1184/00.

Tarraingim aird an Teachta ar mo fheagra ar AQW 1184/00.

Ms Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, by board area, the number of days spent on official business outside Northern Ireland by health trust chief executives in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

(AQW 1548/00)

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

Léirítear an t-eolas a iarradh sa tábla thíos.

(AQW 1549/00)

Ms de Brún: I would refer the Member to my response to AQW1183/00.

Tarraingim aird an Teachta ar mo fheagra ar AQW 1183/00.

(AQW 1558/00)

Ms de Brún: There are three outpatient facilities here which are dedicated solely to the treatment of people with addictions. Details of their locations and the number of contacts in each for the financial year 1999-2000 are shown in the table below.

In addition, many trusts hold addiction clinics in facilities which are not solely dedicated to the treatment of people with addictions.

Tá trí áis othar seachtrach anseo atá tiomnaithe do chóireáil daoine le handúil amháin. Léirítear eolas ar an áit a bhfuil siad agus ar líon na dteagmhálaithe i ngach ceann díobh don bhliain airgeadais 1999-00 sa tábla thíos.

Ina theannta sin, cuireann cuid mhaith iontaobhas clinicí andúile ar fáil in áiseanna nach bhfuil tiomnaithe do chóireáil daoine le handúil amháin.

(AQW 1589/00)

Ms de Brún: It is not possible to provide the information requested. However, in the quarter ending 30 September 2000, 5,637 patients had been waiting for admission to the surgical specialties for more than 18 months.

Ní féidir an t-eolas a iarradh a chur ar fáil. Ach, sa ráithe dar chríoch an 30 Meán Fómhair 2000, bhí 5,637 n-othar ag feitheamh le breis agus 18 mí le hiontráil chuig na speisialtóireachtaí máinliachta.