Friday 2 March 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Rev Dr William McCrea asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the initiatives she is undertaking to help parents of children diagnosed as autistic.

(AQW 1891/00)

Ms de Brún: Support for children with autism and their parents is provided as an integral part of learning disabilities programmes of care. It is for boards and trusts to determine the needs of children with learning disabilities, including autism, and their carers. They have been developing a comprehensive range of supportive community services. I have secured additional financial resources of £0·5m for learning disability in the current year and £2m for 2001/02.

Soláthraítear tacaíocht do pháistí le huathachas agus dá dtuismitheoirí mar chuid riachtanach de cláracha cúraim míchumas foghlamtha. Boird agus Iontaobhais a chinneann riachtanais pháistí le míchumais fhoghlamtha, uathachas agus a bhfeighlithe san áireamh. Bhí siad ag forbairt réimse chuimsithigh seirbhísí tacaíochta pobail. Fuair mé £0·5m d’acmhainní airgeadais breise do mhíchumas foghlamtha sa bhliain seo agus £2m do 2001/2002.

Rev Dr William McCrea asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of cases of autism recorded in children aged 0-13 years in each of the health board areas in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(AQW 1892/00)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not available.

Níl an t-eolas a iarradh ar fáil.

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the steps she is taking to review the vetting procedures of those working with children.

(AQW 1900/00)

Ms de Brún: I intend to introduce legislative proposals for a Protection of Children Bill in the Assembly later this year. The policy proposals underpinning this legislation will be issued for public consultation in the near future.

Tá sé ar intinn agam moltaí reachtaíochta a thabhairt isteach do Bhille Cosanta Páistí sa Tionól níos moille i mbliana. Eiseofar moltaí an pholasaí atá ag tacú na reachtaíochta seo do chomhairliú poiblí ar ball.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, she will detail the number of enquires received by Altnagelvin, Craigavon, Ulster and the Royal Group of Hospitals by (a) telephone (b) in writing and (c) in person in respect of the retention of children’s organs.

(AQW 1903/00)

Ms de Brún: The number of enquiries regarding the retention of children’s organs received by Altnagelvin, Craigavon, Ulster and the Royal Group of Hospitals are as follows:

Tá líon iarratas maidir le coinneál baill páistí a fuair Ospidéil Alt na nGealbhan, Craigavon, Uladh agus an Ghrúpa Ríoga mar a leanas:

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, pursuant to AQW 1478/00, she will detail the distribution of the centrally managed £7·98m additional funds made available in December monitoring for (a) scanners and special acute hospital services (b) capital (c) clinical negligence claims (d) family doctors and (e) general practitioner registrars’ training costs by (i) location and (ii) amount.

(AQW 1904/00)

Ms de Brún: The information sought is as follows:

Is mar a leanas an t-eolas a iarradh:

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to identify Northern Ireland’s health action zones and to detail (a) the amount of funding available to each action zone and (b) actual expenditure incurred by each zone.

(AQW 1907/00)

Ms de Brún: There are currently two health action zones (HAZs) in operation – one in North and West Belfast and the other in Armagh and Dungannon, which were established in April 1999. Two more are to be established shortly in the Western and Northern Health and Social Services Board areas.

HAZs are each granted £150,000 per year for three years. This funding provides a support framework for locally agreed projects through the provision of needs assessment, key workers and the monitoring and evaluation of projects. It is then for the HAZs to attract further funding from other sources. To date, both of the current HAZs have operated within the original assigned budget amount.

Faoi láthair tá dhá Limistéar Gníomhaíochta Sláinte (LGS) ann – ceann amháin acu i gceantar Thuaisceart agus Iarthar Bhéal Feirste agus an ceann eile i gceantar Ard Mhacha agus Dhún Geanainn, agus bunaíodh iad i mí Aibreáin 1999. Cuirfear dhá cheann eile ar bun go luath i gceantair Bhoird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Iarthair agus an Tuaiscirt.

Tugtar deontas £150,000 in aghaidh na bliana go ceann trí bliana do gach LGS. Cuireann an maoiniú seo creat tacaíochta ar fáil do thionscadail a bhfuil aontú ann fúthu go háitiúil trí mheasúnú a dhéanamh ar na riachtanais, sainoibrithe a sholáthar agus faireachán agus meastóireacht a dhéanamh ar thionscadail. Is gnó é do na LGS ina dhiaidh sin tuilleadh maoinithe a mhealladh chucu féin ó fhoinsí eile. Go dtí seo, tá an dá LGS atá anois ann ag feidhmiú taobh istigh den bhuiséad a leithroinneadh orthu.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the cost of the food safety advertisement currently being televised.

(AQW 1910/00)

Ms de Brún: The food safety advertisement recently shown on television throughout the island of Ireland was arranged and paid for by the Food Safety Promotion Board. I am advised that the total cost of the advertisement was IR£218,238.07 broken down as follows:-

Is é an Bord um Chur Chun Cinn Sábháilteachta Bia a shocraigh an fógra ar shábháilteacht bhia a taispeánadh ar an teilifís ar fud oileán na hÉireann le gairid, agus is é a d’íoc as. Insítear dom gurbh é £É218,238.07 costas iomlán an fhógra agus gur mar a leanas a dhéantar dealú air:-

Ms Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of children born to the travelling community and, of these, how many were classed as (a) infant mortality and (b) infant morbidity in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1912/00)

Ms de Brún: This information is not available.

Níl an t-eolas seo ar fáil.

Ms Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, by Trust Board area, infant morbidity in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1914/00)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not available.

Níl an t-eolas a iarradh ar fáil.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assessment of the cost effectiveness of single-sex wards and whether they comprise best practice in respect of the provision of specialist treatment and to make a statement.

(AQW 1915/00)

Ms de Brún: Mixed-sex wards in specialist areas such as intensive care, coronary care, renal care and high dependency units are considered the most cost-effective way of delivering this form of care. Single-sex wards in specialist areas would require the establishment and running of separate units, thereby duplicating hi-tech and expensive equipment, as well as the training and recruitment of specialist staff. The current configuration of specialist treatment services represents best practice.

Meastar gurb iad bardaí gnéis mheasctha i ndianchúram, i gcúram croí, i gcúram duánach agus in aonaid ardspleáchais, mar shampla, an bealach is éifeachtaí costas leis an chineál seo cúraim a sholáthar. Bheadh aonaid scartha de dhíth le bardaí aon ghnéis i sainchúram a bhunú agus a reáchtáil, ag dúbláil mar sin trealamh ard-teicneolaíochta agus costasach chomh maith le sainfhoireann a oiliúint agus a earcú. Léiríonn cumraíocht seirbhísí sainchóireála faoi láthair an cleachtas is fearr.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if, pursuant to AQW 1466/00, she will detail (a) the position within each board area for access to drug treatment for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and (b) if there are implications for such treatment under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

(AQW 1920/00)

Ms de Brún: None of the four Health and Social Services Boards currently commissions in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services. Patients receiving IVF treatment do so on a private basis, although historically the medications required during IVF treatment have been prescribed by general practitioners. Recently, however, some GPs in the Eastern Board area have stopped prescribing medications for patients undergoing IVF treatment at the Regional Fertility Centre at the RGH, on the grounds that clinical responsibility for the treatment and supervision of such patients remains with the hospital consultant.

I am concerned about the provision of sub-fertility services and, for that reason, this area will be included in the draft programme of equality impact assessments to be issued for consultation in the near future. In the meantime, a group established by the Regional Medical Services Consortium, which commissions regional services on behalf of the four health and social services boards, has recently completed a review of these services and I am presently considering the group’s draft report. It will help to determine how services for people experiencing fertility problems can be improved.

Ní choimisiúnaíonn ceann ar bith de na ceithre Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta seirbhísí toirchithe invítrea (TIV) faoi láthair. Faigheann othair, ag fáil cóireála TIV, ar bhonn príobháideach í cé gur ghnáthdhochtúirí go stairiúil a d’ordaigh na cógais a bhí de dhíth le linn cóireála TIV. Ar na mallaibh áfach, stad roinnt GDí i gceantar Bhord an Oirthir ag ordú cógas d’othair ag dul trí chóireáil TIV ag an Ionad Torthúlachta Réigiúnach ag an ORG, ar na cúiseanna gur ar an lia otharlainne atá freagracht chliniciúil as cóireáil agus as cúram a leithéid d’othair.

Tá mé buartha faoi sholáthar seirbhísí fo-thorthúlachta, agus dá bharr sin, cuirfear an réimse seo san áireamh sa dréachtchlár ar mheasúnuithe éifeachta cothroime a eiseofar do chomhairliú ar ball. Idir an dá linn, chríochnaigh grúpa a bunaíodh ag an Chuibhreannas Seirbhísí Réigiúnacha Míochaine, agus a choimisiúnaíonn seirbhísí réigiúnacha thar ceann na gceithre Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta, chríochnaigh sé athbhreithniú ar na seirbhísí seo ar na mallaibh agus faoi láthair, tá mé ag déanamh machnaimh ar dhréacht-thuairisc an ghrúpa. Cuideoidh sí le cinneadh a dhéanamh faoin dóigh ar féidir seirbhísí do dhaoine a bhfuil fadhbanna torthúlachta acu a fheabhsú.

Ms Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, by trust board area, the number of teenage pregnancies and of these, how many can be attributed to single-parent situations in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(AQW 1931/00)

Ms de Brún: It is not possible to provide information on the number of teenage pregnancies, as this information is not recorded. However, information on the number of births to teenage mothers (those aged under 20) is collected. Information on births according to marital status of the mother is not recorded according to health and social services trust area, but such information is available by district council area.

The table below shows (a) the number of births to teenage mothers according to district council area for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999 (the latest year for which such information is available), and (b) the number of such births where the mother was a single parent. Single parents have been defined as those women who registered the birth either as a sole registration, or as a joint registration with a father living at a different address.

⁽¹⁾ Single parents are those women who registered the birth either as a sole registration or as a joint registration with a father living at a different address.

Ní féidir eolas a chur ar fáil ar an líon déagóirí a bhí torrach mar níl an t-eolas seo taifeadta. Bailítear eolas áfach ar an líon breitheanna ag máithreacha sna déaga (iad faoi aois 20 bliain). Ní dhéantar taifead ar eolas breitheanna maidir le stádas pósta na máthar de réir ceantar Iontaobhas Sláinte agus Séirbhísí Sóisialta, ach cuirtear a leithéid d’eolas ar fáil de réir limistéar Comhairle Ceantair.

Léiríonn an tábla thíos (a) an líon breitheanna ag máithreacha sna déaga de réir limistéar Comhairle Ceantair do na blianta 1997, 1998 agus 1999 (an bhliain is deireanaí ina raibh an t-eolas ar fáil), agus (b) an líon breitheanna dá leithéid ina raibh an máthair ina tuismitheoir singil. Sainmhíníodh tuismitheoirí atá singil mar mhná a chláraigh an bhreith mar chláiritheoir aonair nó a chomhchláraigh agus an t-athair ina chónaí ag seoladh eile.

⁽¹⁾ Is iad na tuismitheoirí atá singil na mná sin a chláraigh an bhreith mar chlárú aonair nó a chomhchláraigh agus an t-athair ina chónaí ag seoladh eile.

Mr Adams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail by trust board area, (a) the number of trips spent on official business outside Northern Ireland by trust board chief executives (b) the duration and purpose of each trip and (c) the total cost associated with each trip in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

(AQW 1933/00)

Ms de Brún: The information requested has been placed in the Assembly Library.

Cuireadh an t-eolas a iarradh sa leabharlann.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of operations postponed because hospitals are awaiting disposable surgical instruments required to avoid the risks associated with the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

(AQW 1934/00)

Ms de Brún: This information is not available.

Níl an t-eolas seo ar fáil.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline what progress has been achieved in integrating childcare and early years education.

(AQW 1937/00)

Ms de Brún: Integrating childcare and early years education within a wider supportive framework of services is an important element of the Child Care Strategy. Some of the ways in which integration of services has been achieved include improved co-ordination arrangements for those children who have to move between care provision and education and the use of single centres to provide "wrap-around" care and education. There has also been increased use of school premises for day care, community based activities and after-school clubs.

A number of good practice networks have also been established as models for high quality integrated service provision. Good practice networks typically offer integrated childcare and education, including education for children with special educational needs. They also disseminate and stimulate good practice and offer support and training to other providers in their areas. At present there are three good practice networks: Harpur’s Hill Early Years Project (Coleraine), Ballybeen Women’s Centre (Dundonald) and The Dry Arch Centre (Dungiven).

In addition, the Education and Training Inspectorate, the Social Services Inspectorate and the registration and inspection units within health and social services trusts are working together to devise common inspection standards for use in childcare and early education settings providing for children in their pre-school year.

Is gné thábhachtach de Stráitéis Cúram Leanaí cúram leanaí agus oideachas luathbhlianta a chomhtháthú laistigh de chreat níos leithne tacaíochta seirbhísí. I measc cuid de na bealaí ar éirigh le comhtháthú seirbhísí cúram leanaí a bhaint amach bhí socruithe comhordaithe feabhsaithe do na páistí úd nach mór dóibh bogadh idir soláthar cúraim agus oideachais chomh maith le húsáid ionad aonarach le cúram agus oideachas "timfhillteach" a sholáthar. Tá méadú ar usáid suímh scoile le haghaidh cúram lae, gníomhaíochtaí lonnaithe sa phobal agus clubanna iarscoile.

Tá roinnt Gréasáin Dea-chleachtais bunaithe mar eiseamláir faoi choinne soláthar seirbhíse comhtháite d’ardcháilíocht. Is nós le Gréasáin Dea-chleachtais cúram leanaí agus oideachais comhtháite a ofráil, chomh maith le hoideachas do pháistí a bhfuil riachtanais speisialta oideachais acu. Scaipeann siad agus spreagann siad dea-chleachtas agus tugann siad tacaíocht do sholáthróirí eile sna limistéir s’acu. Faoi láthair tá trí Ghréasán Dea-chleachtais ann: Tionscnamh Luathbhlianta Chnoc Harpúr (Cúil Raithin), Ionad Ban Bhaile Bín (Dún Dónaill) agus Ionad Áirse Tirime (Dún Geimhin).

Ar a bharr, tá an Fhoireann Chigireachta Oideachais agus Oiliúna, an Fhoireann Chigireachta Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus na hionaid chláraithe agus chigireachta laistigh d’Iontaobhais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta ag obair le chéile le caighdeáin choitianta chigireachta a dhearadh le húsáid i gcúram leanaí agus i dtimpeallachtaí luathoideachais ag riar ar pháistí sa bhliain réamhscoile s’acu.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to consider providing financial assistance to families to cover associated expenses following the return of children’s organs that were retained by hospitals.

(AQW 1939/00)

Ms de Brún: I am assured by the relevant trusts that they will meet all reasonable expenses associated with the return of children’s organs.

Gheall na hiontaobhais chuí dom go n-íocfaidh siad as na costais réasúnta uile a bhaineann le tabhairt ar ais orgáin leanaí.

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to (a) confirm that she is aware of the under provision of speech therapy at Rosstulla Special school in Newtownabbey and (b) outline the steps she is taking to address this situation.

(AQW 1944/00)

Ms de Brún: I am aware of the problem concerning the provision of speech and language therapy at Rosstulla Special School, which has arisen as a result of a therapist resigning in January. Homefirst Community Trust is actively engaged in securing a replacement therapist.

Is eol domh an fhadhb a bhaineann le soláthar teiripe urlabhra agus teanga ag scoil Speisialta Rosstulla, a tháinig as teiripeoir a d’éirigh as an phost i mí Eanáir. Tá Iontaobhas Pobal Homefirst ag obair go gníomhach le teiripeoir athsholáthair a fháil.

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the steps she is taking to review the vetting procedures for those working with children and who move between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

(AQW 1947/00)

Ms de Brún: The Child Protection Joint Working Group, which has been set up under the North/South Ministerial Council, is tasked with establishing a mechanism for the reciprocal identification of people who are considered unsuitable to work with children. Further developments in this area will be based upon the outcome of the working group’s deliberations and the establishment of reciprocal arrangements for the exchange of information about applicants for work with children.

An Comhghrúpa Oibre ar Chosaint Páistí, a bunaíodh faoi choimirce na Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh/Theas, atá freagrach as bunú meicníochta d’aithint chómhalartach daoine a shíltear mífhóirsteanach le bheith ag obair le páistí. Bunófar tuilleadh forbairtí sa réimse seo ar thoradh macnaimh an Chomhghrúpa Oibre agus ar bhunú socruithe cómhalartacha do mhalartú eolais ar iarratasóirí ag iarraidh obair a dhéanamh le páistí.

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail by each health trust (a) the overall deficit in expenditure (b) all payments to senior staff for performance related pay (c) all severance payments made to officials and staff and (d) how much was paid to each chairperson/board member in attendance fees, salaries and expenses in the last two financial years for which figures are available.

(AQW 1951/00)

Ms de Brún: I refer the Member to the information on trust deficits provided in answer to AQW 1513/2000. Details on performance related pay made to trust senior staff have been requested by the Public Accounts Committee and I will arrange to send the Member a copy when they are made available to the Committee. The information requested for parts (c) and (d) is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Tarraingim aird an chomhalta ar an eolas ar easpaí Iontaobhas a thug mé i bhfreagra ar AQW 1513/2000. D’iarr an Coiste Cuntas Poiblí ar shonraí ar phá bainteach le cleachtadh a íocadh d’fhoireann shinsearach Iontaobhas agus socróidh mé cóip a chur chuig an chomhaita nuair a chuirfear ar fáil don choiste iad. Níl an t-eolas a iarradh do chodanna (c) agus (d) ar fáil go réidh agus ní fhéadfaí iad a fháil ach ar chostas díréireach.

Mr McCarthy asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the steps she is taking to ensure that the New Deal agreement on junior doctors’ working hours is being implemented.

(AQW 1952/00)

Ms de Brún: My Department monitors New Deal compliance here every six months. The advisory group on junior doctors’ hours considers the results of this monitoring and can recommend action at local level to resolve specific compliance issues. Also, the new contract and pay system introduced in December 2000 will provide fresh impetus to trusts to work with their junior medical staff to achieve New Deal targets and therefore reduce onerous working arrangements. In addition, my Department is in the process of recruiting dedicated staff to assist trusts in this task.

Déanann mo Roinns-e faireachán gach sé mhí ar an dóigh a gcomhlíontar an Conradh Nua anseo. Déanann an grúpa comhairleach ar uaireanta dochtúirí sóisearacha machnamh ar an fhaireachán sin agus thig leis bearta a mholadh go háitiúil le ceisteanna áirithe maidir le comhlíonadh a réiteach. Chomh maith leis sin, tabharfaidh an córas nua conartha agus pá a tugadh isteach i mí na Nollag 2000 spreagadh úr d’iontaobhais comhoibriú lena bhfoireann mhíochaine shóisearach le spriocanna an Chonartha Nua a bhaint amach agus, ar an ábhar sin, tromshocruithe oibre a laghdú. Lena chois sin, tá mo Roinns-e i mbun earcú foirne ar leith le cuidiú le hiontaobhais san obair sin.

Mr McCarthy asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the steps she is taking to improve hospital security.

(AQW 1953/00)

Ms de Brún: The question of security at hospitals is a matter for health and social services trusts to determine. Trusts are required by the Department to have policies in place which are designed to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors. These are kept under constant review.

Titeann sé ar chrann na nIontaobhas Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta cinneadh a dhéanamh ar an cheist slándála ag otharlanna. Éilíonn an Roinn ar Iontaobhais polasaithe, a leagtar amach le sábháilteacht na foirne, othar agus chuairteoirí a chinntiú, le bheith i bhfeidhm acu. Coinnítear faoi athbhreithniú i gcónaí iad seo.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail her projected spend on consultancy services in the 2001/02 financial year.

(AQW 1955/00)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not available.

Níl an t-eolas a iarradh ar fáil.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of people suffering from organophosphorus poisoning in Northern Ireland in the years 1999, 2000 and the current year to date.

(AQW 1974/00)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested.

Information on persons admitted to local hospitals with a diagnosis of toxic effects of organophosphate and carbamate insecticides is detailed in the table below. The data does not permit identification of cases due specifically to organophosphates.

⁽¹⁾ April to December 2000

Níl eolas ar fáil san fhoirm a iarradh.

Mionléirítear sa tábla thíos eolas ar dhaoine ligthe isteach chuig otharlanna áitiúla le fáthmheas éifeachta tocsaíní feithidicídí orgánafosfáite agus carbamáite. Ní cheadaíonn na sonraí aithint chásanna de thoradh orgánafosfáití go háirithe.

⁽¹⁾ Aibreán go Nollaig 2000

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assessment of the problems of recruiting speech and language therapists in the parliamentary constituency of East Antrim and to detail her plans to address this issue.

(AQW 1987/00)

Ms de Brún: There has been no formal assessment of the recruitment of speech and language therapists. health and social services boards and trusts are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient therapists to provide the level of service to meet the assessed needs of their populations. However, to assist in the development of workforce planning for speech and language therapists, my Department has been engaged in a workforce survey, the results of which are expected in the next three months.

Ní dhearnadh measúnú foirmiúil ar earcaíocht teiripithe labhartha agus teanga. Tá Boird agus Iontaobhais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta freagrach as cinntiú go bhfuil go leor teiripithe ann chun an leibhéal seirbhíse a sholáthar a chomhlíonfaidh riachtanais mheasúnaithe a ndaonraí. Chun cuidiú le forbairt phleanáil mheithle oibre do theiripithe labhartha agus teanga, bhí mo Roinn mo páirteach i suirbhé meithle oibre, a bhfuiltear ag súil lena thorthaí i gceann trí mhí.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assessment of the length of waiting lists for occupational therapy reports in the parliamentary constituency of East Antrim and to detail her plans to address this issue.

(AQW 1988/00)

Ms de Brún: Information on waiting lists for occupational therapy assessments is not collected on a parliamentary constituency basis.

I have identified £0·5m to recruit an additional 20 occupational therapists in the coming financial year. I have also approved implementation of the recommendations contained in the preliminary report of the Joint Housing Executive/DHSSPS review of the Housing Adaptations Service, designed to improve occupational therapy response times for the service. Those measures should assist in improving the occupational therapy service in all areas.

Ní chruinnítear eolas ar liostaí feithimh do mheasúnuithe teiripe saothair de réir dáilcheantair pharlaiminte.

Fuair mé £0·5m chun 20 Teiripí Saothair breise a earcú sa bhliain airgeadais seo chugainn. Cheadaigh mé cur i gcrích na moltaí sa Réamhthuairisc Chomhathbhreithniú an Fheidhmeannais Tithíochta/na RSSSSP ar an tSeirbhís Oiriúnaithe Tithíochta fosta, a leagadh amach le hamanna freagartha teiripe saothair don tseirbhís a fheabhsú. Ba chóir do na bearta seo cuidiú le feabhsú na seirbhíse teiripe saothair i ngach ceantar.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give her assessment of the length of waiting lists for speech and language therapy throughout the area served by the Homefirst Community Trust and to detail her plans to address this issue.

(AQW 1989/00)

Ms de Brún: There are 175 children and 90 adults waiting for assessment and 985 children and 91 adults waiting for treatment to commence in the Homefirst Trust area. The trust is responsible for the recruitment of therapists and is actively engaged in filling vacancies in the speech and language therapy service. My Department has been engaged in a workforce survey, the results of which are expected in the next three months, which should assist in the development of workforce planning for speech and language therapists.

Tá 175 pháiste agus 90 duine fásta ag fanacht ar mheasúnú agus 985 pháiste agus 91 duine fásta ag fanacht ar chóireáil i limistéar Iontaobhas Homefirst. Tá an tIontaobhas freagrach as earcaíocht teiripithe agus tá sé páirteach ar bhonn gníomhach i líonadh folúntas i seirbhís an teiripe labhartha agus theanga. Bhí mo Roinn páirteach i suirbhé foirne oibre, a bhfuiltear ag dúil lena thorthaí taobh istigh de thrí mhí. Ba cheart go gcuidíonn seo le forbairt phleanáil foirne oibre do theiripithe labhartha agus teanga.

Mr Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline her plans to provide financial assistance to the hospice service and to make a statement.

(AQW 1992/00)

Ms de Brún: It is for the health and social services boards to assess the need for palliative care services within their areas and to reach agreement with voluntary sector providers as to the level of service provision which is appropriate to meet local needs. All four boards have contractual arrangements with the voluntary hospices operating in their areas. My Department provides grant aid, which comes to £104,000 in the current financial year, towards the central administrative costs of the Northern Ireland Hospice in Belfast. I do not at present envisage any change in this arrangement.

Titeann sé ar chrann na mBord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta riachtanais chúraim mhaolaithigh a mheas taobh istigh dá limistéir fhéin agus teacht ar aontú le soláthraithe den earnáil dheonach maidir leis an leibhéal soláthair sheirbhíse atá fóirsteanach le riachtanais áitiúla a chlúdach. Tá socruithe conarthacha ag na ceithre Bhord go léir leis na hospaisí deonacha go léir atá ag obair ina limistéir. Cuireann mo Roinn mo cuidiú deontais ar fáil, a bhfuil iomlán de £104,000 ann sa bhliain reatha airgeadais, faoi choinne costas riaracháin lárnach Ospais Thuaisceart Éireann i mBéal Feirste a íoc. Níl mé ag beartú aon athrú a dhéanamh ar an socrú seo faoi láthair.

Ms Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the length of the waiting list for apoointments with ear, nose and throat consultants at Altnagelvin Hospital (b) the number of people on the list and (c) the average waiting time before they are seen by consultants.

(AQW 1997/00)

Ms de Brún: In the quarter ending 30 September 2000 (the latest date for which information is available), there were 306 persons waiting for inpatient treatment and 1,861 persons waiting for their first outpatient appointment in the ear, nose and throat specialty in Altnagelvin Hospitals HSS Trust.

Average waiting time cannot be calculated as that information is collected on the basis of time bands, as detailed in Tables 1 and 2 below.

Sa ráithe ag críochnú an 30ú Meán Fómhair 2000 (an dáta is déanaí atá eolas ar fáil), bhí 306 dhuine ag fanacht ar chóireáil othair chónaithigh agus 1,861 dhuine ag fanacht ar a gcéad choinne othair sheachtraigh sa Sainionad Cluaise, Sróine agus Scornaí in Iontaobhas SSS Otharlanna Alt na nGealbhan.

Ní féidir meánamanna feithimh a áireamh mar go gcruinnítear an t-eolas seo de réir bandaí ama, mar a mhionléirítear i dTáblaí 1 agus 2 thíos.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the level of domestic violence in urban and rural areas in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 2004/00)

Ms de Brún: During 2000, there were 14,520 recorded domestic disputes, of which 7,335 involved violence. The data currently available does not provide a breakdown of these figures between urban and rural areas.

Le linn 2000, bhí 14,520 imreas tí cláraithe, ar fhoréigneach 7,335 díobh. Ní thugann na sonraí atá ann faoi láthair breacadh síos ar na figiúirí seo idir ceantair uirbeacha agus tuaithe.

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline her plans for the former Derg Valley Hospital building and grounds.

(AQW 2017/00)

Ms de Brún: Following discussions between my Department, Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Services Trust and Mourne Derg Community Care, it has been agreed to lease the property to Mourne Derg Community Care. The lease will be for a term of 25 years and provides that the property will be used for the provision of a crèche and work and training initiative services.

The lease is currently with Mourne Derg’s Solicitors for execution and it is expected that this will occur in the near future.

I ndiaidh caibidlí idir mo Roinn mo, Iontaobhas Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta Shliabh Speirín agus Cúram Pobail na Muirne agus na Deirge, comhaontaíodh go dtógfadh Cúram Pobail na Muirne agus na Deirge an léas ar an áitreabh. Léas do théarma 25 bliana a bheidh ann ar an choinníoll go n-úsáidfear an t-áitreabh chun naíolann chomh maith le seirbhísi tionscnaimh oibre agus oiliúna a sholáthar.

Tá an léas ag Aturnaetha na Muirne agus na Deirge dá chur i gcrích faoi láthair agus táthar ag súil go dtarlóidh sé seo ar ball.

Ms McWilliams asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail what amendments she has made to the Regional Strategy on Health and Well-being in respect of targets set for mental health services.

(AQW 2031/00)

Ms de Brún: I have not made any amendments to the regional strategy in respect of targets set for mental health services. Those will expire next year. I have set new targets for mental health service development next year as outlined in the Programme for Government.

Ní dhearna mé leasuithe ar bith ar an straitéis réigiúnach maidir le spriocanna leagtha amach do sheirbhísí sláinte meabhrach. Rachaidh siad as feidhm an bhliain seo chugainn. Leag mé spriocanna nua amach d’fhorbairt na seirbhíse sláinte meabhrach don bhliain seo chugainn mar a achoimríodh sa Chlár Rialtais.

<< Prev / Next >>