Dr. Cathal Morgan:

I will. I thank Deputy Ward. I will share the response with my colleague, Professor MacLachlan, because there are some clinical related matters that I would like to have addressed. First, the very reason we endorsed the ombudsman’s report and introduced these reforms such as the progressive disability services is precisely to do what he has quite rightly referred to, which is, that we must intervene quickly to carry out assessments but we must intervene. Intervention is really the most important thing. The standard operating procedure, the setting up of the new interdisciplinary network teams and the additional resources that were given to the teams – another €6 million was provided for a round of new therapy posts this year alone, on top of what we have put in already, and there are more to come – is precisely to move to a scenario where rapid assessment and intervention takes place but the primacy must be on intervention. We have looked at other models as well. Professor MacLachlan will address this, as we have established a new national clinical programme specifically for disabilities.

I have two points to make regarding the resources that are expended through the legal channels. One is that it is important to recognise that people have an entitlement to go to the courts for redress. That is an important element of our legal infrastructure. Of course, I much prefer to spend the resources on delivering intervention. I always say that, and my colleagues say it, but when a case is taken we have to enter into the process, but we want to avoid that as much inasmuch as we can.

On the parental involvement in the process, as I referenced in my opening statement, in progressive disability services our model now is much more about child and family-centred practice where interdisciplinary teams will work with parents or carers alongside the children so that it becomes a genuine plan of intervention not just for the child but also for the parents concerned. That is why we are trying to emphasise the need to shift reform away from silo-driven interventions by singular disciplines to one of an interdisciplinary response.

I respect where the Deputy is coming from, from the point of view of the concerns by the professional bodies, which is to be respected. Professor MacLachlan will address this now. It is fundamentally important to keep in mind two things: one is that we have done a lot of work with clinicians doing the work on the ground. That is really important as they are delivering the interventions. Professor MacLachlan will refer to them in the context of his work as a national clinical lead. I will ask him to come in on that.