Dr. Joanne McCarthy:

Geography will determine an individual's access to services. One could have four or five very good organisations working locally and an individual will experience his or her condition in a different way from somebody who is diagnosed in a rural area who has no access to resources.

When we talk about developing the community services programme, it is so there is an understanding of a shared plan and basket of services to which each individual is entitled once diagnosed with a condition or disability and living in the community. It should not matter whether one is living in CHO 1 or CHO 9, a person should have the same access to services.