Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

Palliative care services are delivered by the Health Service Executive, in partnership with voluntary organisations. The overall budget provision for these care services in 2011 is €74 million.

My immediate aim is to ensure that the priorities, targets and time lines for palliative care, as detailed in the agreed HSE Service Plan 2011, are achieved as intended by the end of this year. These include the delivery of specialist palliative care services to almost 3,600 people each month in 2011; promoting care at end of life projects through the design and dignity grants scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to develop a range of exemplar or demonstration projects within a hospital, region or sector which will guide future development relating to end of life issues; progressing phase 1 of the palliative care policy for children with life limiting conditions in Ireland. Ultimately, this policy aims to ensure that all children with these conditions will have the choice and opportunity to be cared for at home. It recommends the appointment of a consultant paediatrician with a special interest in paediatric palliative care and eight outreach nurses - a successful candidate has been identified for the consultant post and will take up duty shortly; and implementing the minimum data set for palliative care. This is designed to provide better information on all patients availing of specialist palliative care services to further improve the planning and delivery of services.

I also intend that the various capital projects agreed under the HSE service plan for this year will be progressed. These include completion of the projects at Marymount Hospice, Cork and St. Ita's, Newcastlewest, in addition to minor capital works at local level. Palliative care and end of life issues will continue to be developed within the overall continuum of care services and within the context of the current budgetary and fiscal climate.

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