Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Minister for Health the number of parents that have put in a complaint that their child did not receive an assessment of needs in a timely manner; the number upheld in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42162/20]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that there are significant delays in the Assessment of Need process and that this places significant strain on families and children with disabilities waiting on assessments.

It has been a priority for me, as Minister for Disabilities and for this Government to reduce the waiting times for Assessment of Need and improve compliance with the time frames set out in Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005.

Under Section 14.—(1)(b) of the Disability Act 2005, parents are entitled to make a complaint if their child did not receive an Assessment of Needs in a timely manner.

HSE have advised me that in the year 2016, 1100 complaints were received, of which 876 were upheld, in the year 2017, 722 were received of which 507 were upheld, in the year 2018, 725 complaints were received of which 665 were upheld and in the year 2019, 1153 complaints were received of which 1036 were upheld.

So far this year, 992 complaints have been received by the HSE. Of these, 691 investigations have been completed with 634 complaints being upheld to date.

These figures demonstrate that while there is an adequate complaints process in place, clearly the Assessment process needs reform to deliver more timely assessments and subsequent interventions for children with disabilities.

I recently secured €7.8million additional funding specifically to address overdue Assessments of Need and support the HSE and its funded service providers to meet the legislative timelines for the Assessment of Need process.

This money was allocated to each CHO area based on their number of overdue Assessments as of 30th June 2020. All HSE areas have plans in place to eliminate the Assessment backlog as soon as possible which will increase access and reduce waiting times for assessment and interventions.