Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the way parents are being faced with paying for private needs assessment for their children due to lengthy public waiting times; his further views on the way that this is creating an unequal playing field for young people from families with limited means; the efforts being made to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48678/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The additional Sláintecare funding of €7.8 million which was provided to the HSE in August last year has resulted in approximately 6,040 children having had their assessment completed, thus reducing the backlog to 520 cases, or a T92& reduction, at the end of last month.

I acknowledge that there has been an inconsistent approach to how assessments were historically carried out, as well as inequity in terms of time afforded to ‘assessment’ versus ‘support or treatment’ interventions with children and their families.

To further address waiting times, the HSE implemented a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Assessment of Need process from January 2020 to ensure that children with disabilities and their families access appropriate assessment and intervention as quickly as possible and that the approach to Assessment of Need is consistent across all areas. 

A Preliminary Team Assessment, usually undertaken by a Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) will identify initial interventions and any further assessments that may be required. While not required by the Act, diagnostic assessments will continue to be provided, as appropriate, and these will be captured in the child’s Service Statement as part of the Assessment of Need process. 

These improvements, particularly the new Preliminary Team Assessment, will facilitate children with disabilities to access assessment much quicker. This is borne out by the latest data I have from the HSE which indicates that over 90% of children who have had a Preliminary Team Assessment are referred for intervention. All of these improvements are intended to alleviate the current situation where children in some parts of the country may have to wait a number of years before they can access an assessment. 

In Budget 2022, we are providing additional funding for the recruitment of therapists and admin support to these  Children’s Disability Network Teams. This multi-million-euro investment will hopefully reduce the length of time children are waiting to access these vital services. My focus over the next 12 months is to increase access to timely early intervention services.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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111. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005 in each local health office area in CHO2; the corresponding figures for each area at the end of June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50550/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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In August 2020 additional Sláintecare funding of €7.8m was provided to the HSE to address the issue of overdue Assessments of Need (AON).

This funding was provided on a once off and strictly time bound basis to eliminate all AONs overdue on 30th June 2020. While the number of overdue Assessment of Need stood at 6,558 in June 2020, through a combination of different measures, by the end of September 2021 approximately 6,040 children have had their assessment completed, thus reducing the backlog to 520 cases. An overall reduction of 92% to date.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that 6 CHOs, including CHO2, which had 100 overdue Assessments of Need at the end of June 2020 have now cleared their backlog. The breakdown of the 100 overdue Assessments per county in CHO2 at that time was 58 in Galway, 39 in Mayo and 3 in Roscommon.

The number of overdue Assessments at the end of last month, September, in CHO2 was reduced to 10, with 5 overdue Assessments in both Galway and Mayo respectively and none in Roscommon. I am informed by the HSE that Children’s Disability Network Teams in Galway and Roscommon have commenced services and due to a gap in network manager posts Mayo is expected to reconfigure in December. A recruitment process is underway.

In Budget 2022, we are providing additional funding for the recruitment of therapists and admin support to our Children’s Disability Network Teams. This multi-million-euro investment will hopefully reduce the length of time children are waiting to access these vital services

My focus over the next 12 months is to increase access to timely early intervention services.