Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 138: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress on the delivery of the primary care elements of the 2001 health strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23805/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The health strategy, entitled Quality and Fairness, acknowledged the central role of primary care in a modern health service. In recognition of this central focus on primary care services a separate strategy document, entitled Primary Care: A New Direction, was published in November 2001. The strategy sets out the Government's vision for integrated team based primary care services and provides a template for their development over a period of ten to 15 years.

Following the launch of the strategy a small task force was established in my Department to give an initial impetus to implementation. My Department continues to drive the implementation of the primary care strategy and to develop policy in this regard. The implementation process is overseen by the national primary care steering group, which is representative of the broad range of stakeholders, and considerable work has been undertaken by the former health boards to advance implementation.

There are three broad approaches required to enable the primary care strategy to be implemented. These are: revenue and capital investment by the State to deliver additional services in primary care; the substantial reorganisation of the resources already within the health services; and a structured role for the private sector in the development of facilities and possibly also the delivery of services.

An initial ten primary care teams have been developed, with funding to enable existing staff resources within the public system to be augmented with additional health professionals. These teams are intended to demonstrate the primary care model in action and also to enable practical experience to be gained of the process involved in developing a primary care team and providing an expanded range of services.

Work has already been undertaken by the former health boards to map out the proposed numbers, locations and configurations of future primary care teams and networks and the resource requirements associated with these. The Health Service Executive must complete this task to provide a firm basis for the future organisation of resources within the new unified health delivery system of the Health Service Executive, and incorporating the significant numbers of staff and contractors already involved in the delivery of primary care services.

The Government has supported the development of out of hours co-operatives to provide the benefits of reliable out of hours services to the public. Between 2000 and 2004, a total of €72.882 million was allocated to the former health boards for out of hours co-operatives nationally and, in 2005, €31.98 million has been included in the baseline funding to the Health Service Executive, which includes €6.5 million of additional funding.

In 2005, an additional €5 million in revenue funding has been provided to support the implementation of the strategy, bringing total ongoing additional revenue funding to €12 million per annum. To date, capital funding of €2.725 million and a further €1.8 million in respect of information and communications technology supports have been provided to facilitate the provision of appropriate facilities and ICT supports for the initial primary care teams.

Work is almost complete on a strategy and action plan on information and communications technology, ICT, for primary care. This will provide a basis for the development of ICT systems which support interdisciplinary primary care and which also facilitate the delivery of care in an integrated way across all sectors within the health service.

It is clear that the existing network of community health centres and general practice premises is not adequate to meet the needs of primary care teams. To ensure that appropriate facilities are developed on the required scale, resources other than those of the Exchequer will be required and, indeed, this is in line with the historic practice, whereby there has been a mix of public and private facilities provision with, for example, general practitioners in many cases funding their own practice premises. In this regard, the strategy emphasises the need to gain full benefit from existing buildings and to fully explore opportunities for private investment and public private partnerships in implementing the development programme.

Many primary care services are already delivered by private and non-State contractors. I am committed to developing policy which will stimulate private sector investment in developing facilities and services and also support much enhanced collaborative working between the public and private sectors. My Department is considering how this agenda can be advanced so as to harness the undoubted potential within the non-State sector and so enable and support the delivery of integrated primary care services in line with national policy.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 139: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the person who, according to the records of her Department, was the owner of a medical facility (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23806/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the former inspector of mental hospitals conducted an investigation into a complaint made by a person (details supplied); if so, the outcome of this investigation; if not, if any other investigation was conducted and the outcome of such investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23807/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 141: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her Department has received a request to meet a person (details supplied); if she requested that the Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children meet with a person when she was Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; if such a meeting has taken place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23808/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 142: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action her Department has taken in respect of a complaint (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23809/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I intend to take Questions Nos. 139 to 142, inclusive, together.

The individual referred to by the Deputy first contacted the Department of Health and Children about her care and treatment in a private psychiatric hospital and about access to her medical records. On investigation it was found that the private hospital involved had closed in 1996 and the Department was informed that the medical records had been destroyed. The individual was so advised. The Deputy was informed of the identity of the former owner and administrator of the hospital by the Tanáiste in correspondence dated 31 May 2004.

The investigation of alleged professional misconduct of a medical practitioner is a matter for consideration by the Medical Council. Therefore, the individual's complaint about a medical practitioner was not a matter which could have been pursued by the former inspector of mental hospitals or the Department. The Medical Council is an autonomous statutory body established by the Medical Practitioners Act 1978. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Children has no function concerning records, or the amending of records, held by the Medical Council. The individual referred to by the Deputy has been so informed many times.

On foot of a request for a meeting with him, the then Secretary General wrote to the individual involved on 31 October 2003 and strongly recommended that she make contact with the then inspector of mental hospitals who was available to meet with her. This contact did not happen.

It is regretted that it has not been possible to resolve matters to the individual's satisfaction. However, I am satisfied that everything possible has been done to assist and that her complaints have been addressed in so far as possible by the Department. The Department now considers the matter closed and the individual has been so informed.