Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans are in place to ensure that every doctor undertakes regular vocational and educational training in order to maintain standards and skills.

(AQW 1058/01)

Ms de Brún: There has always been a professional obligation on doctors to maintain skills to an acceptable standard. There is now a formal contractual obligation on Consultants to have annual appraisals which review progress against development needs thus ensuring maintenance of standards and skills. Work is ongoing on the introduction of a similar obligation to other medical staff.

Bhíodh dualgas gairmiúil ar dhochtúirí i gcónaí chun scileanna a chothabháil ar chaighdeán inghlactha. Tá dualgas foirmiúil conartha anois ar Lianna Comhairleacha go ndéantar breithmheas orthu go bliantúil a athbhreithníonn dul chun cinn in aice le riachtanais forbartha ag cinntiú mar sin go gcothabháiltear caighdeán agus scileanna. Tá obair idir lámha ar thabhairt isteach dualgas den chineál céanna faoi choinne foireann mhíochaine eile.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, by Health Board, the number of current vacancies for (a) radiographers; (b) radiologists; and (c) specialist cancer nurses.

(AQW 1059/01)

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

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

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what measures are in place to ensure that cancer screening programmes are accurate and effective in the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

(AQW 1060/01)

Ms de Brún: There are no screening programmes for the detection and diagnosis of ovarian cancer here or in Great Britain at present.

Níl cláir scagthástála ann d'aimsiú agus do dhiagnóis ailse ubhagánaí anseo nó sa Bhreatain Mhór faoi láthair.

Mr David Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the cost of and (b) to whom she is providing hospitality during the month of December 2001.

(AQW 1065/01)

Ms de Brún: During December 2001, I jointly hosted, with the Departmental Board, a Christmas reception for DHSSPS senior management on 17^th December. This included a light lunch and refreshments and the cost to my hospitality budget amounted to £268.

Le linn na Nollag 2001, reáchtáil mé, i gcomhar le Bord na Roinne, ócáid Nollag faoi choinne bainisteoirí sinsearacha na RSSSSP ar 17 Nollag. Mar chuid de bhí lón éadrom ann agus sólaistí agus ba é £268 costas a gearradh ar an bhuiséad flaithiúlachta s'agam.

Mr Gerry Kelly asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to consider (a) extending the counselling service through the Family Trauma Centre in Wellington Park which is supporting the families in crisis in North Belfast; and (b) putting extra resources into the area.

(AQW 1070/01)

Ms de Brún: I have already taken a number of measures to address the psychological effects suffered by residents of North Belfast. These include the establishment of an outreach clinic in Lincoln Avenue by the regional Family Trauma Centre, a half-day clinic at the Survivors of Trauma, Cliftonville Road and the appointment of a Trauma Co-ordinator at the Everton Centre to identify needs and develop long-term strategic plans to meet those needs. I have recently secured £104,000 from OFMDFM to meet the needs for additional counselling and support.

Tá roinnt socruithe déanta agam cheana le dul i ngleic leis na torthaí síceolaíocha a d'fhulaing conaitheoirí Bhéal Feirste Thuaidh. Ina measc seo bhí bunú clinic for-rochtana in Ascaill Lincoln ag Ionad Tráma Teaghlaigh reigiúnach, clinic leath lae ag Marthanóirí Tráma, Bóthar Cliftonville agus ceapachán Comhordaitheoir Tráma ag Ionad Everton chun riachtanais a aimsiú agus pleananna fadtéarmacha a fhorbairt le freastal ar na riachtanais siúd. Le deireannas d'aimsigh mé £104,000 ar OCALCA le freastal ar riachtanais le haghaidh chomhairlithe agus tacaíochta breise.

Mr Alex Maskey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline progress on the review of Mental Health Legislation.

(AQW 1072/01)

Ms de Brún: The Programme for Government target is to initiate a review of mental health legislation by March 2002. Preliminary fact finding has taken place and the views of relevant professional bodies have been obtained on how the review should be undertaken. A dedicated project team is currently being set up to take the work forward.

Is é sprioc an Chláir um Rialtas athbhreithniú ar reachtaíocht sláinte meabhrach a thionscnamh roimh Mhárta 2002. Rinneadh réamhfhiosrú faisnéise agus fuarthas tuairimí comhlachtaí gairmiúla bainteacha faoin dóigh ar chóir tabhairt faoin athbhreithniú. Táthar ag cur foireann tionscadail dhílis le chéile leis an obair a thabhairt chun tosaigh.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will make a statement on variations in practice relating to the prescription of TNF - alpha blockade.

(AQW 1075/01)

Ms de Brún: These drugs are prescribed in accordance with the guidelines set by the British Society for Rheumatology Protocol for Biologic Therapy in Adults, ensuring consistency of clinical approach in all areas .

However, the Regional Medical Services Consortium, which commissions services on behalf of the four Health and Social Services Boards, has established a working group to review all implementation issues surrounding these drugs, including equity of access .

Ordaítear na drugaí seo de réir na dtreoirlínte leagtha amach ag an Chumann Briotanach um Prótacal Réamaiteolaíochta um Theiripe Bhitheolaíoch i nDaoine Fásta, ag cinntiú cur chuige comhsheasmhach i ngach achar.

Bíodh sin mar atá, bhunaigh an Consóirtiam Seirbhísí Réigiúnacha Leighis, a choimisiúnaíonn seirbhísí ar son na gceithre Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta, grúpa oibre chun gach ceist ar chur i bhfeidhm bainteach leis na drugaí seo, comhionannas rochtana san áireamh.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how many beds were allocated to elderly care homes in West Tyrone during (a) 1997 and (b) the last year for which figures are available.

(AQW 1076/01)

Ms de Brún: At 31 March 2001, there were 289 available places in residential accommodation for elderly people in Sperrin Lakeland Trust. The equivalent figure for 31 March 1997 was 204.

Ar 31 Márta 2001, bhí 289 áit ar fáil i gcóiríocht chónaithe do sheandaoine in Iontaobhas Shliabh Speirín agus Thír na Lochanna. 204 áit ba ea an figiúr ar 31 Márta 1997.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what recent progress has been made on improvement of diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients in the health service.

(AQW 1078/01)

Ms de Brún: Significant progress has been made in recent years in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. My Department actively encourages people to participate in cancer screening programmes. For example, three new leaflets on cervical screening were issued in November this year.

Patients with cancer are now managed by multidisciplinary cancer teams, and specialist staffing has been increased with two additional oncologists and 70 additional nurses. Specialisation in site-specific cancers has also started, with the identification of lead clinicians in a range of conditions, such as breast, lung and colo-rectal cancers.

One-stop breast cancer clinics have been established, and a two-week outpatient appointment target has been introduced for breast cancer patients.

More than half of all day-patient chemotherapy is now provided from local cancer units, thus providing better access for many cancer patients. Better treatment can be provided by new chemotherapeutic drugs which contain or eradicate systemic disease so that, where the disease is diagnosed at an earlier stage, there is much better chance of cure.

A new day hospital and outpatients suite has already opened as part of the first phase of the new Cancer Centre at the Belfast City Hospital. Another recent major development will be the provision of MRI scanners for each of the cancer units. The installation of a MRI scanner for the Belfast City Hospital and a replacement MRI for the Royal Group of Hospitals will also make an important contribution to cancer care. Two new linear accelerators will become operational by June 2003 at Belvoir Park Hospital, where patients will also benefit from an allocation of £550,000 to fund repairs to the building infrastructure and equipment aimed at enhancing current services.

Rinneadh dul chun cinn mór le blianta déanacha anuas i bhfáthmheas agus i gcóireáil ailse. Spreagann an Roinn s'agamsa daoine go gníomhach páirt a ghlacadh i gcláir scrúdú ailse. Mar shampla, eisíodh trí bhileog nua breise eolais ar scrúdú ceirbheacsach i Samhain na bliana seo a chuaigh thart.

Déileálann foirne ildhisciplíneacha ailse le hothair a bhfuil ailse orthu, agus tháinig méadú ar an tsainfhoireann le ceapadh beirt oinceolaithe agus 70 altra breise. Thosaigh speisialtóireacht in ailsí bainteach le baill ar leith fosta, le haimsiú príomhdhochtúirí i réimse riochtaí amhail ailsí cíche, na scámhóg agus colaidriseacháin.

Bunaíodh clinicí ailse cíche stop amháin, agus leagadh sprioc dhá seachtaine síos le coinní éisothair a shocrú d'othair a bhfuil ailse chíche orthu.

Soláthraítear níos mó ná leath de cheimiteiripe lae iomláin d'othair in ionaid áitiúla ailse, mar sin de, ag cruthú infhaighteachta níos fearr do chuid mhór othar a bhfuil ailse orthu. Is féidir le drugaí nua ceimiteiripeacha a chuireann srian ar nó a scriosann galar córasach níos fearr cóireála a sholáthar, sa dóigh go mbeidh seans níos fearr go leigheasfar é má fháthmheasfar go luath é.

Osclaíodh otharlann nua lae agus sraith seomraí d'othair mar chuid den chéad chéim den Ionad nua Ailse in Otharlann Chathair Bhéal Feirste. Casadh eile is ea soláthar scanóirí MRI do gach ionad ailse. Cuirfidh suiteáil scanóra MRI in Otharlann Chathair Bhéal Feirste agus scanóra nua MRI in Otharlanna an Ghrúpa Ríoga go mór le cúram ailse. Beidh dhá luasaire nua líneacha ag feidhmiú faoi Mheitheamh 2003 in Otharlann Pháirc Belvoir, áit a mbainfidh othair tairbhe as an £550,000 le díol as cóirithe ar infrastruchtúr foirgneamh agus trealaimh is aidhm dóibh feabhas a chur ar sheirbhísí reatha.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans she has to reduce junior doctors' hours and improve their working conditions.

(AQW 1079/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department established an Improving Junior Doctors' Working Lives Implementation Support Group (ISG) in August 2001. Since then the ISG has been working with Trusts and Boards to deliver the New Deal on Junior Doctors' hours and improve accommodation and catering standards.

The ISG is currently engaging with Trusts to identify problems and will help Trusts by spreading good practice, facilitating changes in doctors' working patterns and practices and instituting skill mix initiatives where appropriate. Guidance on new standards of accommodation and catering in junior doctors' accommodation will be issued shortly.

Bhunaigh mo Roinn Grúpa Feidhmithe Tacaíochta um Shaol Oibre Dochtúirí Sóisearacha a Fheabhsú (GFT) i Lúnasa 2001. Ó shin i leith bhí an GFT ag obair le hIontaobhais agus Boird leis an Socrú Nua ar uaireanta Dochtúirí Sóisearacha a sholáthar agus caighdeáin lóistín agus lónadóireachta a fheabhsú.

Faoi láthair tá an GFT ag plé le hIontaobhais chun fadhbanna a aimsiú agus cuideoidh sé le hIontaobhais trí dhea-chleachtas a scaipeadh, ag éascú athruithe i bpatrúin agus i gcleachtadh oibre dochtúirí agus cuirfidh sé tús le tionscnaimh le scileanna a mheascadh nuair is cuí. Eiseofar treoir ar na caighdeáin nua lóistín agus lónadóireachta i dtaca le lóistín dochtúirí sóisearacha go luath.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what improvements are being made in breast cancer care.

(AQW 1082/01)

Ms de Brún: In line with the Campbell Report, most of the features of a good breast cancer service are in place, including one stop clinics, timely admission for surgery, multi-disciplinary team working, specialist breast care nurse teams and close links to oncology. Last year I asked the health and social services to implement two week outpatient appointment times for people with suspected breast cancer. A comprehensive Breast Screening Programme is also in place.

Breast cancer is now diagnosed earlier and surgical techniques, such as radical mastectomy, have greatly declined. Patients are mostly treated by lumpertomy or segmentectomy, which are much better for the psychological wellbeing of patients. Treatment by new chemotherapeutic drugs is also available to contain or eradicate systemic disease so that, where the disease is diagnosed at an earlier stage, there is much better chance of cure.

De réir Thuairisc Campbell, tá formhór na ngnéithe atá mar chuid de sheirbhís mhaith ailse cíche i bhfeidhm, clinicí stop amháin, glacadh isteach tráthúil le haghaidh máinliachta, obair ildhisciplíneach fhoirne, sainfhoirne altrachta ailse cíche agus dlúthnaisc le hoinceolaíocht san áireamh. Anuraidh, d'iarr mé ar na seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta amanna choinní éisothar dhá seachtaine a chur i bhfeidhm d'othair a mheastar a bhfuil ailse chíche orthu. Tá Clár cuimsitheach Scrúdú Cíche i bhfeidhm fosta.

Fáthmheastar ailse chíche níos luaithe anois agus is mór an maolú a tháinig ar theicnící máinliachta, amhail maisteachtóime radacach. Cóireáiltear othair trí shiadachtóime nó theascánachtóime de ghnáth, atá níos fearr do dhea-bhail shíceolaíoch othar. Tá cóireáil trí dhrugaí ceimiteiripeacha ar fáil fosta chun srian a chur ar ghalar córasach nó é a scrios sa dóigh go mbeidh seans níos fearr go leigheasfar é má fháthmheasfar go luath é.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail how much has been spent on research into breast cancer in the last 3 years.

(AQW 1083/01)

Ms de Brún: Since 1998 the Research and Development Office for the HPSS has received only one research proposal specifically relating to Breast Cancer. This three-year project commenced in October 2001 and has been allocated a total budget of £47,000.

In 2000/01 the R&D Office established a (non-specific) Cancer Recognised Research Group (Cancer RRG) with a £3 million peer reviewed five-year research programme. The Cancer RRG led by Professor Patrick Johnston comprises 13 research programmes and aims to create new avenues for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancers through exploration and study of novel clinical scientific ideas using an interdisciplinary approach to the development of core research programmes.

Funding for research into breast cancer may be available from sources outside the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, for example the Medical Research Council.

Ó 1998, ní bhfuair Oifig Thaighde agus Fhorbartha na SSSP ach moladh taighde amháin bainteach go díreach le hAilse Chíche. Thosaigh an scéim trí bliana seo i mí Dheireadh Fómhair 2001 agus dáileadh buiséad de £47,000 san iomlán uirthi.

I 2000/01, chuir an Oifig T&F Grúpa Taighde (neamhshainiúil) ar Aimsiú Ailsí (GTAA) ar bun agus thug sí £3 milliún di le haghaidh cláir thaighde cúig bliana ar a ndéanfar athbhreithniú rialta. Tá 13 clár taighde ag an GTAA a bhfuil an tOllamh Patrick Johnston i gceannas air agus tá sé d'aidhm aige dóigheanna nua a aimsiú chun ailsí a chosc, a fháthmheas agus a chóireáil trí scrúdú agus staidéar a dhéanamh ar smaointe nua cliniciúla eolaíochta, ag úsáid cur chuige idirdhisciplínigh d'fhorbairt chroíchláir thaighde.

Is féidir go mbeidh maoiniú do thaighde ar ailse chíche ar fáil ó fhoinsí taobh amuigh den Roinn Sláinte, Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus Sábháilteachta Poiblí, mar shampla, ón Chomhairle Thaighde Míochaine.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail in each of the last 3 years the number of nursing vacancies (a) in each Health Board Area; and (b) which were vacant for 3 or more months.

(AQW 1087/01)

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

Ní choinnítear an t-eolas go lárnach ar an dóigh a iarradh é agus ní féidir é a fháil ach ar chostas díréireach.

Mr David Ford asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the annual cost of providing free personal care to residents of registered nursing and care homes and (b) the annual cost of providing free nursing care under current proposals.

(AQW 1090/01)

Ms de Brún: (a) The annual cost of providing free personal care to residents of nursing and residential care homes here has been previously estimated by my Department to be in the region of £25 million. However, the inter-departmental group on personal care which is to advise on the costs and implications of providing free personal care is expected to refine this estimate as part of its work.

(b) The cost of providing nursing care free to residents of care homes who at present meet these costs from their own resources is estimated to amount to £4.5 million in 2002/03 (reflecting introduction from October 2002) and £9.225 million in 2003/04.

(a) Mheas an Roinn s'agam cheana gur timpeall ar £25 milliún an costas bliantúil chun cúram pearsanta saor in aisce a sholáthar do chónaitheoirí tithe altranais agus cónaithe abhus anseo. Bíodh sin mar atá, táthar ag súil go bhfeabhsóidh an grúpa idir-rannóige ar chúram pearsanta, atá le comhairle a thabhairt ar chostais agus ar impleachtaí de sholáthar cúram pearsanta saor in aisce, an meastachán seo a bheachtú mar chuid dá chuid oibre.

(b) Meastar ar £4.5 milliún san iomlán i 2002/03 (ag léiriú a thabhairt isteach ó Dheireadh Fómhair 2002) agus ar £9.225 milliún san iomlán i 2003/04 an costas le cúram saor altranais a sholáthar do chónaitheoirí thithe cúraim a sheasann na costais seo óna n-acmhainní féin.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the current average waiting time for treatment in the A&E Departments in (i) Whiteabbey Hospital; (ii) the Mater Infirmorum Hospital; and (iii) Antrim Hospital; and (b) how these figures compare with other hospitals in the Belfast metropolitan area.

(AQW 1111/01)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not available.

Níl an t-eolas a iarradh ar fáil.

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