Results 221-240 of 10,056 for speaker:Mary Butler

Child and Youth Mental Health: Statements (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: The Deputy might send me on that letter.

Child and Youth Mental Health: Statements (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: I am pleased to have the opportunity to discuss child and youth mental health services and highlight the work that has been ongoing over the lifetime of this Government to bring improvements to mental health services. I assure the House that the Government is fully committed to the delivery of modern, high-quality, person-centred, recovery-orientated mental health services. As Minister of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: It was time for the Labour Minister to do it.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Health Strategies (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: I wish to comment on computerisation, especially regarding home supports. There is currently a split in that the 22 million home support hours last year were delivered between private, public and voluntary services. Approximately 55% of all the home support last year was delivered by private sector services, which all use IT to deliver their supports. Unfortunately, the HSE is lagging but...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Health Strategies (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: We did actually pilot an IT system for homecare in former CHO area 3, which I think it is now called the Limerick–midwest region. It is hard to keep up with the changes in names. The staff are continuing to use the system. It makes a significant difference because, where a person in receipt of homecare has a fall, has been moved to hospital or has gone on holidays, there can be...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Nursing Homes (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: It is an important question. I will not comment on the individual case, but it is important to state that nursing home residents, whether younger people or older adults with disabilities, should enjoy the same level of support and access to services for which they are eligible as when they lived in their own homes. It is acknowledged that the reason they require 24-hour support is their...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Nursing Homes (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: If the Deputy sends me the details of that case, I will have it looked into because it is not appropriate for the family of someone who is non-verbal, living in a nursing home and dependent on disability allowance and the fair deal scheme to be sent a bill of €2,500. As she said, we need to bring more clarity to this area. I deal with it myself. LocalLink has been helpful,...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Nursing Homes (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: The response, which the Deputy will get a copy of, states that under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, an exceptional needs payment can be made, but that is not always appropriate for a person who may not have family backup and may not be able to communicate. It can be used in some instances, but we need a stronger solution to support people. The CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster,...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Mental Health Services (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: As I put on the record of the House on Tuesday, we have made progress on the CAMHS waiting list. At the end of 2023, there were 3,759 children on the list. This was a decrease of 480 children through the end of the year. It is still a very high number. I have a dedicated focus on it week on week, month on month. I welcome that reduction. It has to be noted in this context that CAMHS...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Mental Health Services (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: We currently have 820 people working in CAMHS, with 225,000 appointments issued last year. There were 12% more referrals last year and in 2021, there was 33% more referrals. By the end of 2024, there will be more than 900 people working in CAMHS. I have received that funding in the budget. As late as yesterday evening, I had a meeting about these posts being put in place. One of the...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Mental Health Services (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. Officials in my Department sought an update from the HSE in relation to the specifics of the question that has been raised. The HSE has advised that four CAMHS teams are shared across the Meath and Louth area to address the population demands of County Meath, as well as the catchment area served by the team in Drogheda. These teams are based in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care of the Elderly (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: Last summer, the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, initiated our new approach to urgent and emergency care planning. This plan focused on improving primary measures, two of the most important being 8 a.m. trolley numbers and improving patient experience time for the over-75s as a priority patient cohort, and those most likely to require longer hospital stays. The last six months of 2023, compared...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care of the Elderly (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: I agree with the Deputy, and what is really important here is hospital avoidance in the first place. We spoke about the teams going into the nursing homes. We now have a situation where if a resident in a nursing home, whether public, private or voluntary, needs an X-ray, the X-ray team is going in there. That is really important and it means that person will not have to be brought by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care of the Elderly (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for this important question. The Government is committed to the delivery of health and social care services that enable older people to live and age well in their homes and communities. The enhanced community care programme aims to implement an end-to-end care pathway that will care for people at home and, over time, prevent referrals and admissions to acute hospitals...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: Investment in child and youth mental health services has been a priority for me and this Government, and is exemplified through the year on year increased investment into CAMHS over the lifetime of this Government. As additional CAMHS teams have been established, staffing has increased in parallel. More specifically, the HSE has increased staffing in community CAMHS from 388.76 WTEs in 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for his question. Ensuring that children have access to inpatient mental health beds is a priority for me and this Government. There are four inpatient CAMHS units in Ireland, namely Eist Linn, Linn Dara, Merlin Park and St Vincent’s. These Units, also known as Approved Centres, are registered, regulated and inspected by the Mental Health Commission. While CAMHS...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: It is a priority for the Government to allow more people to engage in services that allow them to remain independent and live in their own homes. The HSE has operational responsibility for planning, managing and delivering health and personal social services. The HSE has advised that it intends to use part of the revamped Health Centre building at Macroom Hospital as a new Day Care Centre...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: West Kerry Community Hospital provides important and valued services for people in the West Kerry area. The hospital has 46 beds registered, of which 35 are long-stay beds and 11 are short-stay beds, including 2 respite and 1 palliative care bed. The maximum number of people that can be safely accommodated in the hospital are currently being accommodated. The intention of the HSE is to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (29 Feb 2024)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.