Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 13, subsection (4), line 2, after "possible," to insert "not to exceed a period of six weeks".

This amendment is about the assessment. The Bill accepts there should be a care assessment. Section 7(4) states: "Upon receipt of an application for a care needs assessment, the Executive shall, as soon as reasonably possible ....". Instead of as soon as is reasonably possible we propose the assessment should be done within six weeks. That is to ensure it is done when it is needed and that there is a timeframe for it. We propose giving six weeks to have this assessment done because if a timeframe is not put on it, the process could go on and on. It is also difficult for hospitals because they do not know when the care needs assessment will be done. A patient's acute phase of care might be over, the assessment would still not be done and the patient would be waiting to get it done. There is a priority about making the assessment for high dependency patients in terms of getting suitable placement. The way to do that is to have a care needs assessment, as outlined in the Bill, but we suggest it should be done within six weeks.

I would be interested to hear what the Minister of State has to say in terms of whether that is feasible. What does she expect will happen under the Bill? What sort of timeframe are the Health Service Executive and the Department working within currently in terms of the care needs assessment? Does the Minister of State intend to put anything into regulations as to when it should be carried out? The Minister of State might inform the House on the way she intends dealing with this issue because rather than leaving it open-ended, there might be the possibility of it being done reasonably quickly. Six weeks is a fairly short time but we are talking about high dependency patients.