Written answers

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Department of Health

Mental Health Services

10:00 pm

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1252: To ask the Minister for Health his strategy for intellectual disability; if it follows the New Direction 2016 programme; and if so, the way the decisions are implemented when following these guidelines [18238/12]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The New Directions Report was initiated by the HSE Primary Community and Continuing Care Directorate in 2007. The review was to consider the reconfiguration and modernisation of HSE-funded day services for people with intellectual disability, mental health and physical and sensory disability ensuring the principles of person-centeredness, access, accountability and quality, while also ensuring better outcomes for the service users; provide value for money and be in line with relevant legislation, national standards and best practice. The Report was published by the HSE on 29 February 2012.

The focus of the Report is on the requirement to accommodate a wide diversity of need among some 25,000 service users. This spectrum of need ranges from those with severe and profound disabilities, challenging behaviours and high support needs who are likely to need long-term, specialist service provision, to people with lower support needs and greater potential for community participation and inclusion. The central approach within the report focuses on the core values of person-centeredness, community inclusion, active citizenship and high quality service provision. It will be underpinned by good governance, monitoring and guidance to providers. The ambitious change envisaged in New Directions will depend on and benefit from an acceleration of the policy of mainstreaming that is central to the National Disability Strategy (NDS). This will require joint planning between the HSE and key government departments to maximise the approach outlined in the NDS.

With regard to my strategy for health-funded disability services, a Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services is currently being undertaken in the context of the Government's Value for Money & Policy Review Initiative 2009-2011. The Review is well advanced and it is anticipated that it will be published in the first half of 2012 if accepted by Government. The review is made up of two strands:

1. A examination of the effectiveness and efficiency of the current disability services programme; and

2. A review of current policy in relation to HSE-funded disability services.

The Expert Reference Group on Disability Policy was established to look specifically at existing disability policy and whether it needs to be changed to better meet the expectations and objectives of people with disabilities. The Group's policy review was recently published by the Department of Health and has also been the subject of consultation within the Department of Health, with other Government Departments, and with the general public.

The Steering Group for the VFM Review is currently drafting its final report, taking into consideration the recommendations made in the report of the Policy Review Group, the results of the consultative process and the examination of the efficiency and effectiveness of the current disability services programme. On completion, it is my intention to look at both reports together and, in conjunction with Minister Reilly, to ensure that proposals for the future of our disability services are brought to Government for its consideration and publication in due course.

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