David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 113: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress that has been made regarding the value for money and policy review of disability services; if a steering committee has been established within her Department to oversee the review; the way service users and service providers have been and will be consulted to help inform the review; when she expects the review to be concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25959/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A Review of the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Disability Services in Ireland is being undertaken as part of the Government's Value for Money Reviews for 2009-2011. This in-depth review of disability services will assess how well current services for people with disabilities meet their objectives and support the future planning and development of services. The evaluation will focus on the current provision of disability services and explore the way forward for the development of services within a value for money and policy framework. The objectives of the review are to:

Examine disability services in Ireland funded by the Health Service Executive, including the statutory and non-statutory sectors;

Deliver a comprehensive analysis of data in relation to services and service providers; and

Review current policy objectives and provide policy objectives for future service provision.

A Steering Group has been established to oversee the VFMPR and is meeting today for the sixth time. The Steering Group is chaired by an independent chairperson, Mr. Laurence Crowley, and has two other independent members, as well as members drawn from the Disability Sector, Department of Health and Children, the Department of Finance and the HSE. A Project Team and a Policy Expert Reference Group reporting to the Steering Group meet on a regular basis to progress the work of the review. Steady progress is being made with the review, however some slippage in terms of the expected end date has occurred because of the breadth and complexities of the services under review. Difficulties have also been experienced in accessing data essential to the progress of the review due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive.

A public consultation process was undertaken in late 2009 and attracted almost 200 responses from a wide variety of respondents including service users, family members and service providers. The Project Team has provided a report to the Steering Group on a statistical analysis of the responses. A thematic analysis of the responses is nearing completion and a final report on the consultation is being drafted. The National Disability Authority (NDA) also conducted 15 focus group consultations with people with disabilities, their families, advocates and frontline service providers in March 2010 to inform its advice to the review. I understand that the NDA is currently formulating an Advice Paper incorporating the results of the consultation, together with other relevant research.

The Policy Expert Reference Group is nearing completion of a report to the Steering Group on a new policy framework for the provision of disability services and has taken cognisance of the findings of the public consultation process in developing this policy framework. Further consultation on aspects of the draft policy may be considered before it is ratified by the Steering Group. I expect that substantial progress on completing the overall Review will have been made by the end of this year.