Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his detailed questions in this regard. I do not disagree with him that there is a further body of work we need to do to make sure we increase capacity in all of these teams. I very much welcome the fact that when the Deputy spoke about this issue, he referred to a range of healthcare professionals. Sometimes, in the media and political commentary, people tend to talk about consultants and nurses. While both are important key staff within the health service, the way we are delivering health services now and the way we must do so in the future is very much around a multidisciplinary team where the roles of a dietitian, social worker, psychologist and all the different roles coming together is what will lead to the best possible outcomes and to shifts in the model of care.

On the Deputy's question on children transitioning from childhood to adulthood, I will have the HSE or my Department revert to him on it directly. We have developed a new national clinical programme in paediatrics and neonatology, called the new national model of care for paediatric healthcare services in Ireland. We talk a great deal in this House about the building of the children's hospital in terms of bricks and mortar but this will transform the delivery of healthcare for children and I will send the Deputy a copy of that also.

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