Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if it is Government policy to provide hospice care for persons dying in the home; if so, if it is available nationwide; under what criteria can this care be accessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28897/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE has advised that there were 22 home care teams throughout the country at the end of 2004 providing services to the ten former health board areas. The HSE has estimated that the total number of patients who accessed palliative care services provided by the home care teams was 7,203, with an estimated 95,000 home visits.

The HSE has advised that criteria for accessing palliative care services are based on the needs of the person with regard to their medical condition. However, a patient's medical condition may deteriorate to the extent that it may necessitate admission to hospital or specialist inpatient units for intensive medical and nursing care. In this regard, the HSE has advised that there are eight specialist palliative care inpatient units across the country and there are a number of inpatient units and satellite units at varying stages of operation and planning. There are in the region of 116 designated support beds available for patients needing palliative care in various community hospitals located throughout the country.

The HSE has further advised that one of the key priorities for it and for voluntary agencies is the continued development of integrated specialist palliative care services. This includes progressing with the design, planning and development of further inpatient and satellite units, increased availability and scope of home care teams nationally and further development of day services and bed capacity at community hospitals.