Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

658. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 10 July 2014, the location of the 37 new clinical nurse specialists; her views that this number is sufficient to cater for the number of accident and emergency hospitals throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32141/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The purpose of the Deliberate Self Harm clinical programme is primarily to provide a proactive response to people presenting to the Emergency Departments (EDs) of acute hospitals in Ireland. The programme will be delivered by senior psychiatric nurses at Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) grade working as part of consultant psychiatrist led Liaison Psychiatry Teams in acute hospitals. The role will include the assessment and most importantly the follow up of people seen in EDs. This might include phone contact, outpatient review by the nurse and/or linking in with other appropriate services with active follow up to try to ensure the person avails of the help being offered. The overall aim is to reduce the likelihood of a repeat deliberate self harm attempt as it is well recognised that completed suicide is more likely to occur in those who repeat.

An additional 37 WTE CNS posts were approved in 2013 for Emergency Departments with the highest number of presentations of self harm and these posts will support the roll-out of the Self-Harm Clinical Programme. This is a new clinical development and it is necessary to build up a level of expertise in this area. A decision on whether further posts are needed will be made when the programme is fully implemented.

In relation to the location of these posts, as this is a service matter I have referred the question to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.