Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Deputy Gould for raising this matter with reference to the situation of Michael Barry. It is an issue that is of importance to many children and their families in community healthcare organisation, CHO, 4. The HSE provides an extensive range of medical aids and appliances to individuals living with a wide variety of different medical conditions. These aids and appliances support individuals to continue living within their communities and enjoy a greater quality of life than would otherwise be the case.

The community-funded schemes, CFS, is the collective name for the provision of these products and services. The HSE spends in excess of €300 million per annum on their provision nationally. The medical aids and appliances are prescribed on the basis of an identified clinical need. The HSE advises that current vacancies in children's disability network teams, CDNTs, can cause delays in these assessments being carried out. However, this is not a matter in which the local resource allocation group is involved. The role of the local resource allocation group is to make a determination regarding funding approval for each application within the CHO. This determination is based on the clinical priority and the funding available. In this regard, the HSE notes that it is important the applicant's requirements are assessed appropriately before prescribing any device.

At times, due to the demand for resources exceeding the available capacity, waiting lists may apply for some categories of items. However, a range of initiatives is undertaken to ensure optimum use of resources, including recycling of appropriate items. Waiting times for approved items also vary depending on the priority rating. In addition, they may be affected by the following factors: the time required for the appropriate clinical assessment to be undertaken; the time taken for the approval process, which can be impacted by the value of the equipment being requested and the available budget; the time for the manufacturing process, if it is not a stock item; and the time for shipping and delivery, depending on the particular item being requested. The HSE advises that clinical demands on local budgets remain high.

The provision of wheelchairs by the HSE to eligible people is based on several criteria, the most important of which is assessed clinical need. A priority rating that assesses the impact of the particular equipment on the individual's quality of life, the length of time waiting for the equipment and the available budget are other factors that form part of the decision-making process. At present, the wait time from clinical assessment and approval for standard wheelchairs that are kept as stock items is normally no more than one to two weeks. For bespoke and powered wheelchairs, which need to be manufactured and delivered by the supplier, the wait time is longer and can be up to 12 weeks.

The HSE established a national service improvement programme to develop national prescribing guidelines with the aim of improving the value for money and equality of access of the CFS. In respect of aids and appliances, the category lists are completed and category-specific information for prescribers is now published on the HSE website. The work to improve services is ongoing and further milestones will be reached in the pursuit of the aim to improve the quality of the services the HSE provides to assist people with different medical conditions to live within their communities. I promise the Deputy I will address the specifics of the issue he raised to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, this evening.

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