Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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1082. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to set national criteria for access to primary care services in view of the geographic discrimination that applies when accessing health care, for example, physiotherapy and mental health services. [34725/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to reforming our model of delivering healthcare so we can reduce the cost of achieving the best health outcomes for our citizens.

The implementation of the Primary Care Strategy continues to be a priority for this Government. The objective is to develop services in the community which will give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners (GPs), nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and others. At the end of May 2013, there were 418 Primary Care Teams operating, i.e. holding clinical team meetings, involving GPs and HSE staff. The HSE's 2013 National Service Plan commits to having 484 operational Teams in place by the end of this year.

In 2012, the HSE completed a detailed analysis of the numbers and distribution of public health nurses, registered general nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. The analysis revealed considerable variation across the HSE's 17 Integrated Service Areas in ratios of health care professionals to population, and to population numbers in areas of high deprivation.

Based on this exercise, in 2013, Primary Care funding of €20 million, nationally, will be invested to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line primary care team posts and enhance the capacity of the primary care sector.

I issued approval to the HSE on the 27th March 2013 to commence recruitment to Primary Care Teams with immediate effect of the following additional 251 Primary Care posts:

- 70 Public Health Nurses;

- 37 Registered General Nurses;

- 51 Occupational Therapists;

- 46 Physiotherapists; and

- 47 Speech & Language Therapists.

The allocation and distribution of the above posts is based on bringing each Integrated Service Area, where staffing is below the national average, towards the national average.

This Government recognised the pivotal role that Primary Care has in addressing the mental health needs of the population and committed in the Programme for Government to the provision of counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems. Budget 2012 provided a special allocation of €35 million for mental health from which €5m was made available for the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems who are eligible under the General Medical Services. A further €2.5 million was made available from this year's special allocation for mental health. Ten Counsellor Coordinators, who will be responsible for the set-up, roll-out, management and monitoring of the service, have now been appointed.

Last week, I was delighted to join my colleague, the Minister with responsibility for Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch, T.D, at the launch of the Counselling in Primary Care Initiative. This Initiative will be working to improve access to counselling to people with mild to moderate psychological difficulties who are medical card holders under the General Medical Services Scheme.

It is expected that the start date for the service will vary according to when the Counsellor Coordinator takes up the post but the first services will begin to roll-out this month.