Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their attendance and for their replies to questions. In question No. 14 I asked about the resources for preparing staff for Children First. It was indicative that when I submitted this question I was asked whether I had directed it to the right Minister. I am asking about the training of more than 70,000 staff in the HSE who will deal directly with children. I am concerned by the fact that the question was kicked back to me. I specifically wish to know what money has been allocated to finance the training of the 70,000 relevant staff to enable the implementation of Children First.

I refer to question No. 15 on the model of care for neurology and, in particular, to progress the patient pathway for multiple sclerosis. The number of consultant posts has been increased by ten and it is evident that the number of out-patient appointments will increase. There is a clear business case for the recruitment of more consultants. What are the figures for MS nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists?

It is expected that the fourth draft model of care should be ready for the November meeting of the clinical advisory group. Will that be presented for public consultation and, if so, when?

The reply to question No. 15 states that the neurology programme has been working with the national director, Áine Carroll, on developing protocols for high-cost prescriptions. Will these provide a national prescribing guidance for prescribing all medications available for MS or just the two medications cited? Comprehensive guidance is needed because we need to avoid a postcode lottery type of treatment.

My third question is about cardiac rehabilitation. I note some progress. Ian Carter advised us that there would be progress this year. Is this view shared by Dr. Tony O'Connell? I refer to the survey undertaken by the Irish Heart Foundation, IHF, and the Irish Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, that not one hospital providing cardiac rehabilitation is meeting the minimum staffing requirements.

On the issue of mental health, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, said that we often focus on what has gone wrong. My difficulty in the area of mental health is that we have no report. In 2012 the monitoring report of A Vision for Change was discontinued. I have no report to track the strategy so I cannot applaud the Minister because I do not know when we can applaud and when we can say it is not good enough. In particular, we need to have reports with regard to children. I know that children are being put in adult psychiatric wards-----