(AQW 2295/01)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): I am unable to supply the information in the precise form requested as 'rateable bands' do not formally exist in the Valuation List. I have, however, supplied for each District Council Area, the numbers and rateable values of the non-domestic properties, categorised by their distinguishment in the Valuation List.

(AQW 2296/01)

Dr Farren: The Rate Collection Agency is responsible for the collection of rates in Northern Ireland. The Agency records vacant properties by Ward within District Council areas.

The Town Centre of Larne falls largely into the Central Ward and the Agency's records at 1 March 2002 show that:

The Agency regularly inspects vacant properties to check that they remain unoccupied. If properties are found to be occupied rate liability, including backdating where appropriate, is amended and a rate account issues. The most recent round of vacancy inspections for Larne Borough Council area took place during February 2002.

(AQW 2333/01)

Dr Farren: Part R of the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 2000, which came into effect on 1 April 2001, contains revised requirements for disabled access and facilities in dwellings. At the time these regulations were being made, the concept of Lifetime Homes was given consideration. However, with the agreement of the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee, it was decided to amend the regulations to achieve technical harmony with Scotland, England and Wales, by requiring that all new dwellings be "visitable" by disabled persons. The visitability standard addresses many of the issues covered by the Lifetime Homes study.

(AQO 959/01)

Dr Farren: I have placed a copy of the information requested in the Assembly Library.

(AQO 1008/01)

Dr Farren: Within the PEACE II Programme almost £46 million will be targeted specifically at the rural economy and rural population in Northern Ireland. This is in addition to allocations to Local Strategy Partnerships under Priority 3 of the Programme from which rural communities will also benefit. Beyond this under the Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will implement Measures worth over £250m targeted at agriculture, rural development, forestry and fisheries; while the LEADER+ Community Initiative will be worth around another £15m to the rural sector.

(AQO 1004/01)

Dr Farren: I have not had any discussions with the Department of Education on this matter. However, my predecessor, Mark Durkan, did have a meeting in May of last year. He advised that future considerations of its and other Departments' accommodation needs would be addressed in the Accommodation Review.

(AQO 1003/01)

Dr Farren: The cost for producing consultation documents for the past 3 years is:

These figures do not include staff salary costs.

(AQW 2155/01)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): Requirements of post-operative care will depend on the surgical procedure involved and the specific clinical needs of the individual. Health service professionals continually assess individual post-operative needs and aim to provide the highest standard of care.

Steps have also been taken to improve post-operative care for more seriously ill patients through the provision of additional Intensive Care and High Dependency beds, in line with the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer's Review of Intensive Care Services, published in February 2000.

Beidh riachtanais cúram iarobráide ag brath ar an nós imeachta máinliachta i gceist agus sainriachtanais chliniciúla an duine. Déanann gairmithe na seirbhíse sláinte measúnú reatha ar riachtanais iarobráide agus tá sé mar aidhm acu an caighdeán is airde cúram a sholáthar.

Bhí céimeanna tugtha leis, chun cúram iarobráide a fheabhsú d'othair atá a bhfuil tinneas níos géire orthu trí sholáthar leapacha breise Dianchúraim agus Ardspleáchríocha, ag cloí le moltaí an Athbhreithniú an Phríomhoifigigh Míochaine ar Sheirbhísí Dianchúraim, a foilsíodh mí Feabhra 2000.

(AQW 2227/01)

Ms de Brún: The charter standard introduced in 1992 states that outpatient appointments will be made according to clinical priority but in normal circumstances patients should not have to wait more than three months for an outpatient assessment. Due to the increase in demand over recent years for orthopaedic services it has not been possible for every outpatient to be seen by an orthopaedic consultant within 3 months.

Maíonn caighdeán na cairte a tugadh isteach i 1992 go ndéanfar coinní éisothair de réir tosaíochta cliniciúla ach níor chóir d'othair fanacht níos mó ná trí mhí ar mheasúnú éisothair a fháil de ghnáth. De dheasca an mhéadaithe sa ráchairt ar sheirbhísí ortaipéideacha thar na blianta déanacha, níorbh fhéidir le gach éisothar dul chuig lia comhairleach ortaipéideach laistigh de 3 mí.

(AQW 2229/01)

Ms de Brún: Expenditure relating to the following Non-Departmental Bodies is shown in the table below: the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland (NBNI), the Northern Ireland Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (NICPMDE), the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland (MHC) and the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland.

Taispeántar caitheachas bainteach leis na Comhlachtaí Neamhroinne a leanas sa tábla thíos: An Bord Náisiúnta d'Altranas, do Mhná Cabhrach agus do Chuartaíocht Sláinte do Thuaisceart Éireann (BNTÉ), Comhairle Iarchéimithe d'Oideachas Míochaine agus Fiaclóireachta Thuaisceart Éireann (CIOMFTÉ), Cumann um Shláinte Meabhrach do Thuaisceart Éireann (CSM) agus an tÚdarás Dóiteáin do Thuaisceart Éireann.

(AQW 2265/01)

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

Níl eolas ar fáil go réidh san fhoirm iarrtha agus ní fhéadfaí é a fháil ach ar chostas díréireach.

(AQW 2278/01)

Ms de Brún: I met representatives of the General Practitioners Committee and the Royal College of Nursing in the course of a listening exercise which I conducted in the summer of 2000, to hear views from various interests on the future of primary care. The General Practitioners Committee, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives were invited to comment on my proposals for future arrangements in primary care as part of the consultation process from Autumn 2000 to Spring 2001 on the document Building the Way Forward in Primary Care.

Bhuail mé le hionadaithe Choiste Dochtúirí Ginearálta agus an Choláiste Ríoga Altranais le linn cleachtaidh éisteachta a rinne mé i samhradh 2000, le tuairimí ó pháirtithe leasmhara éagsúla a chluinstin ar thodhchaí phríomhchúraim. Iarradh ar Choiste Dochtúirí Ginearálta, an Choláiste Ríoga Altranais agus ar Choláiste Ríoga na mBan Cabhrach trácht ar mo chuid moltaí do shocruithe i bpríomhchúram sa todhchaí mar chuid den phróiseas comhairlithe ón Fhómhar 2000 go dtí an tEarrach 2001 ar an cháipéis Building the Way Forward in Primary Care.

(AQW 2279/01)

Ms de Brún: All hospitals use the Patient Administration System, which provides a common system for booking outpatient referrals, to manage outpatient clinics. Plans are in hand to introduce an electronic booking system of first outpatient appointments from GP practices, although this will necessarily take some time to implement.

Úsáideann gach otharlann Córas Riaracháin Othar a sholáthraíonn córas coitianta le haghaidh atreoraithe othar seachtarach a chur in áirithe, agus clinicí othar seachtarach a bhainistiú. Tá pleananna idir lámha chun córas leictreonach áirithinte do chéad choinní othar seachtarach ó chleachtais DGanna a thabhairt isteach, cé gur gá go nglacfaidh seo tamall maith lena chur i bhfeidhm.

(AQW 2280/01)

Ms de Brún: I am currently pursuing a policy of common Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems for the Health and Personal Social Services. Initiatives already being taken forward include the introduction of a new unique identifier for patients, consolidation of health and social care data, and provision of additional ICT services for GPs and other care professionals. This approach is designed to ensure they have secure and reliable access to electronic data, including laboratory/pathology results.

Tá mé faoi láthair ag tabhairt faoi pholasaí córais choitianta Teicneolaíocht an Eolais agus na Cumarsáide (TEC) do na Seirbhísí Sláinte agus Sóisialta Pearsanta. Áirítear i measc na dtionscnamh atá tugtha chun tosaigh cheana féin ná tabhairt isteach aimsitheora nua uathúil faoi choinne othar, sonraí sláinte agus cúraim shóisialta a dhaingniú, agus seirbhísí breise TEC do DGanna agus gairmithe eile cúraim a sholáthar. Tá an cur chuige seo deartha chun cinntiú go bhfuil rochtain shlán agus iontaofa ar shonraí leictreonach acu agus torthaí saotharlainne/ paiteolaíochta san áireamh.

(AQW 2283/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is available on the number of children with learning disabilities who had contact with Heath Service Providers, and is detailed in the table below.

Tá eolas ar fáil ar líon na bpáistí a bhfuil míchumas foghlama acu a raibh teagmháil acu le Soláthraithe Seirbhíse Sláinte, agus tá sé léirithe sa tábla thíos.

(AQW 2285/01)

Ms de Brún: The basic wage increase for nurses in each of the last 3 years was:

Ba é méadú tuarastail bhunúsaigh d'altraí le trí bliana anuas ná:

(AQW 2286/01)

Ms de Brún: Health and Social Services Boards have operational responsibility for the assessment of the need for nursing home care and residential care in their areas and are constantly reviewing the beds available against the assessment of need.

Tá freagracht oibríochtúil ar Bhoird Shláinte agus Sheirbhísi Sóisialta as measúnú riachtanais ar chúram baile altranais agus ar chúram cónaithe ina gceantair agus déanann siad athbhreithniú de shíor ar na leapacha ar fáil i gcomparáid le measúnú riachtanais.

(AQW 2288/01)

Ms de Brún: The Western HSS Board, in close collaboration with Sperrin Lakeland Trust, continually monitors and reviews the capacity of both the Tyrone County and Erne Hospitals to ensure effective service provision.

Déanann Bord SSS an Iarthair, i ndlúth-comhoibriú le hIontaobhas Speirín Tír na Lochanna, monatóireacht agus athbhreithniú go rialta ar chumas Ortharlanna Thír Eoghain agus na hÉirne beirt chun soláthar seirbhíse éifeachtaí a chinntiú .

(AQW 2290/01)

Ms de Brún: Neither I nor my officials have had any discussions with the Department for Regional Development regarding the provision of an access road for Tyrone County Hospital.

Ní raibh cainteanna agam féin ná ag m'oifigigh leis an Roinn Forbartha Reigiúnach maidir le soláthar bóthar rochtana d'Otharlann Chontae Thír Eoghain.

(AQW 2298/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department sets priorities for the delivery of health and personal social services within the constraints of the total level of funding available and the targets and priorities set out by the Executive in its Programme for Government. While the Department seeks to ensure that all identified care needs are met, what is possible is limited by the amount of resources which are available.

Leagann mo Roinn tosaíochtaí síos do chur ar fáil na seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta pearsanta laistigh de sriantacht an leibhéil iomláin mhaoinithe ar fáil agus laistigh de na spriocanna agus de na tosaíochtaí leagtha amach ag an Fheidhmeannas ina Chlár um Rialtas. Cé go bhfuil an Roinn ag iarraidh cinntiú go riartar ar na riachtanais aitheanta chúraim go léir, cuireann an méid acmhainní atá ar fáil srian ar an mhéid is féidir a dhéanamh.

(AQW 2299/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department has improved local involvement in the development of health services in a number of ways, particularly in engaging the public at an early stage in the development of policies and strategies, and the delivery of services by seeking their views and ensuring they are taken into account when decisions are been taken, inviting their participation on various regional and local groups and keeping them informed of progress.

All significant Departmental Policies and Strategies are now routinely the subject of widespread public consultation for a minimum period of 8 weeks. Recent examples include consultation for the Investing for Health Strategy, my Department's and associated bodies equality obligations under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act, proposals for new arrangements in Primary Care and plans involving the community and voluntary sectors in taking forward the Drug and Alcohol Strategies.

At an area and local level, examples of improvements in local involvement include HSS Board and Trust community development initiatives such as work on the Health Action Zones, community involvement in shaping services such as Fuel Poverty in Health, the involvement of marginalized and isolated groups in cross-community activities, user involvement in the reviews of services for older people and acute in-patient mental health provision, addressing health issues in disadvantaged communities in Belfast involving local community groups, the planning of future Occupational Therapy Services and the establishment of a Wheelchair User Forum.

D'fheabhsaigh mo Roinn rannpháirteachas áitiúil i bhforbairt seirbhísí sláinte ar roinnt dóigheanna: ag cur an phobail san áireamh go luath agus polasaithe agus straitéisí á bhforbairt, chomh maith le seirbhísí a sholáthar trína gcuid barúlacha a lorg agus trí chinntiú go raibh siad curtha san áireamh nuair a rinneadh cinneadh, mar aon le fáilte a chur roimh a rannpháirteachas ar ghrúpaí reigiúnacha agus áitiúla agus iad a chur ar an eolas faoin dul chun cinn.

Mar ghnáthamh anois, téann gach Polasaí agus Straitéis Shuntasach Roinne trí chomhairliú leathan poiblí ar feadh tréimhse 8 seachtain ar a laghad. I measc na samplaí le gairid tá comhairliú le haghaidh Straitéis Infheistíochta sa tSláinte, dualgais chomhionannais mo Roinne agus comhlachtaí bainteacha de réir alt 75 d'Acht Thuaisceart Éireann, moltaí i leith socruithe nua Príomhchúraim agus pleananna a bhfuil baint ag na hearnálacha poiblí agus deonacha leo chun Straitéisí Drugaí agus Alcóil a thabhairt chun tosaigh.

Ag leibhéal an cheantair agus leibhéal áitiúil is é atá san áireamh le samplaí d'fheabhsuithe i rannpháirteachas áitiúil ná tionscnaimh de chuid Iontaobhais agus Bhoird na SSS i bhforbairt pobail amhail obair ar Chriosanna Gnímh ar Shláinte, rannpháirteachas pobail i seirbhísí a mhúnlú amhail Bochtanas Breosla sa tSláinte, rannpháirteachas grúpaí imeallaithe agus aonraithe i ngníomhaíochtaí trasphobail, rannpháirteachas úsáideora sna hathbhreithnithe ar sheirbhísí do dhaoine níos sine agus ar ghéarsholáthar sláinte meabhrach othar cónaitheach ag tabhairt faoi cheisteanna sláinte sna pobail faoi mhíbhuntáiste i mBéal Feirste ag cur grúpaí pobail áitiúla san áireamh, pleanáil Seirbhísí Teiripe Saothair amach anseo agus bunú Fóram Úsaideoirí Cathaoir Rotha.

(AQW 2300/01)

Ms de Brún: In 1999/00, there were 141 recorded deaths from suicide, and 439 discharges from local hospitals where there was a diagnosis of attempted suicide.

I 1999/00, bhí 141 bás trí fhéinmharú taifeadta, agus 439 a scaoileadh amach ó otharlanna áitiúla, áit a ndearnadh diagnóis go raibh iarracht ar fhéinmharú ann.

(AQW 2301/01)

Ms de Brún: There are approximately 1350 acute psychiatric inpatient beds, which are accessible 24 hours a day. Local mental health services can also assess patients presenting themselves at local Accident and Emergency Departments.

Tá thart faoi 1350 géarleaba othar cónaitheach síciatrach, atá insroichte 24 uair sa lá. Is féidir le seirbhísí sláinte áitiúil teacht ar othair a théann chuig Ranna Taismí agus Éigeandála.

(AQW 2317/01)

Ms de Brún: Considerable work has already been done to enable the Hospital Sterilization and Disinfection Unit (HSDU) at Tyrone County Hospital, Omagh to meet current decontamination standards and allow accreditation under Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC in the near future.

The HSDU has been extensively refurbished to allow segregation of wash, pack and sterilization processes, and to allow packing to be carried out in a controlled environment. New automatic washer-disinfectors have been installed, and documentation, procedures and systems are well advanced to meet the necessary quality standards.

Periodic performance verification of process equipment and quality testing of processing fluids remain to be completed. Additional staffing requirements are being addressed.

Plans are in place to further improve the service through installation of water treatment plant and an IT based traceability system, as well as replacement of existing sterilizers.

Tá obair iontach déanta cheana féin chun cur ar chumas an Ionaid Steiriliúcháin agus Dhíghalraithe Otharlainne (ISDO) in Otharlann Chontae Thír Eoghain, An Ómaigh na caighdeáin reatha dhíthruaillithe a bhaint amach agus chun creidiúnú a cheadú de réir na Treorach ar Ghléasanna Míochaine 93/42/EEC gan rómhoill.

Athchóiríodh an ISDO go forleathan chun scaradh na bpróiseas níocháin, pacála agus steiriliúcháin a éascú agus chun ligean don phacáil le bheith déanta i dtimpeallacht rialaithe. Suiteáladh díghalróirí nua uathoibríocha níocháin agus is mór an dul chun cinn atá déanta ar dhoiciméadú, ghnáthaimh agus ar chórais leis na caighdeáin cháilíochta riachtanacha a bhaint amach.

Tá deimhniú tréimhsiúil fheidhmiú trealaimh phróiseála agus tástáil cháilíochta leachtanna próiseála le críochnú go fóíll. Táthar ag tabhairt faoi riachtanais bhreise na foirne.

Tá pleananna i bhfeidhm chun an tseirbhís a fheabhsú a thuilleadh trí shuiteáil ghléasra cóireála uisce agus chórais inaimsithe bunaithe ar theicneolaíocht an eolais, chomh maith le malartú na steirileoirí atá ann faoi láthair.

(AQW 2318/01)

Ms de Brún: The average cost, including student bursary, to train a newly qualified nurse is £30,000.

Is é £30,00 an meánchostas, sparánacht mac léinn san áireamh, chun altra nuacháilithe a thraenáil.

(AQW 2319/01)

Ms de Brún: This information is only held centrally for the year ending September 2001 and is given in the table below.

Ní choinnítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach ach don bhliain ag críochnú Meán Fómhair 2001 agus tugtar é sa tabla thíos.

(AQW 2322/01)

Ms de Brún: There is no specified number of General Practitioners required to provide general medical services here and so it is difficult to identify numbers of vacancies. The number of general practitioners who have been deleted from, and the numbers added to, the Medical List in the last two years are shown in the table below.

Níl líon áirithe Dochtúirí Ginearálta atá de dhíth le seirbhísí ginearálta míochaine a sholáthar anseo luaite agus mar sin de, bíonn sé deacair líon na bhfolúntas a mheas. Léirítear líon na ndochtúirí ginearálta sa tábla thíos a baineadh den agus a cuireadh leis an Liosta Míochaine sa dá bhliain deireanacha.

(AQW 2323/01)

Ms de Brún: The additional costs associated with locum cover for the paediatric unit in the Erne hospital were as follows:

There were no additional expenses incurred in relation to mobile telephone expenses.

Is iad a leanas costais bhreise bhainteacha le haghaidh clúdach ionadaíochta don aonad péidiatraiceach in Otharlann na hÉirne.

Ní raibh costais bhreise gearrtha maidir le costais gutháin siúil.

(AQW 2326/01)

Ms de Brún: Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Services Trust has recently recruited 3 additional nurses and an expansion of the service is scheduled for the beginning of April.

D'fhostaigh Iontaobhas Speirín Tír na Lochanna 3 altra breise agus tá méadú na seirbhíse sa sceideal do thús mhí Aibreáin.

(AQW 2335/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department's Business Support Unit continuously reviews the work of Branches to help ensure the effective use of resources. In carrying out its examinations, the Unit has regard to the need for the work being done, its organisation and, where appropriate, makes recommendations for change. The Unit also provides a control on the numbers and grading of posts in the Department.

Over the last three years, the Unit has reviewed posts across the Department as follows:

Déanann Aonad Tacaíochta Gnó na Roinne s'agam athbhreithniú leanúnach ar obair na mBráinsí chun úsáid éifeachtach acmhainní a chinntiú. Agus é i mbun a chuid scrúdaithe, tá meas ag an Aonad ar an ghá leis an obair atá á déanamh, á heagrú agus, nuair is cuí, déanann sé moltaí le haghaidh athruithe. Cuireann an tAonad rialú ar líon agus ar ghrádú na bpost sa Roinn.

Le trí bliana anuas, rinne an tAonad athbhreithniú ar fud na Roinne mar a leanas: