Question 17: Family participation in HSE reforms in disability services
Question 18: Emergency medical card procedures for terminally ill
Question 19: Paediatric hospitals integration
Question 17: Family participation in HSE reforms in disability services.
Can the Minister outline the Department of Health’s strategy and objectives in terms of family participation in the major strategic reforms currently being undertaken by the HSE in the area of disability services?
The HSE and the DOH acknowledge the importance of involving service users, parents & families and wider community in the planning organisation & delivery of services with people with a disability. In this context, the development of a partnership approach between all these stakeholders has been an important part of the model of service over many years. A range of both formal and informal processes are in place to give effect to this strategic objective.
At a national level, the National Consultative Forum (NCF) which was established by the HSE is the mechanism for bringing these key stakeholders together.
The forum includes representatives of the various umbrella bodies representing service providers e.g. Federation of Voluntary Bodies, The Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI), the Not for Profit Business Association, a number of bodies representing families or service users are involved e.g. Inclusion Ireland and National Parents and Siblings Alliance. The National Disability Authority is also represented as are the DOH & HSE.
Similar fora have been developed at regional and local level. In addition to the above, the development of many of the key strategic policy documents have included such representation e.g. the Report on Congregated Settings, New Directions the HSE’s policy document on the development of day services and the Policy on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People. As these strategic policies are being implemented, the HSE is ensuring that local implementation groups provide for the involvement of service users and/or parents & families as active participants.
The current process, for implementation of 0-18 Children’s Service model, as outlined below, is a good example of the processes being put in place to ensure full participation by service users, parents & family representatives.
Children’s Services Model:
• Membership of the National Coordinating Group includes Inclusion Ireland CEO and 2 parent representatives
• A subgroup on Communications was established to focus on improving communications with all stakeholders, including parents..
• The programme’s recent Local Implementation Group (LIG) Lead Workshop included a presentation by the Special Needs Parents Association representative on how to involve parents in the LIG from a parent perspective which was extremely very well received. Guidelines on Parent and Service User representation on Local Implementation Groups was developed with input from Special Needs Parents Association and Inclusion Ireland and shared with LIG Leads Subgroup on development Outcome Focused Performance Management Framework for Children and their Families” included a parent’s voice in the working group. Ongoing work being done at local level across the country to hold parent information/briefing sessions in order to inform parents of the proposed changes and to seek parental involvement on the local
Question 18: Emergency medical card procedures for terminally ill.
Can the HSE clarify the procedures in place in the event that an emergency medical card issued on the grounds of terminal illness (and therefore not subject to means test requirement) needs to be renewed after six months, to ensure that the renewal process will be on the same basis as the initial application – i.e. on the provision of evidence from the GP or hospital consultant of the terminal nature of the condition – and the applicant will not be asked to provide details of means?
The HSE can issue a medical card where a Doctor or a Consultant certifies that there is a terminal illness. Where a patient is terminally ill in palliative care, the nature of the terminal illness is not a deciding factor in the issue of a medical card in these circumstances and no means test applies. Given the nature and urgency of the issue, the HSE has appropriate escalation routes to ensure that the person gets the card as quickly as possible. The HSE monitors such cases and can renew the clients’ eligibility if necessary. In such circumstances there is no assessment of means.
Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants.
While people with specific illnesses such as cancer are not automatically entitled to medical cards, the HSE can apply discretion and grant a medical card where a person’s income exceeds the income guidelines.
In these cases, social and medical issues are considered when determining whether or not undue financial hardship exists for the individual in accessing GP or other medical services. Discretion will be applied automatically during the processing of an application where additional information has been provided which can be considered by staff or a medical officer, where appropriate.
The HSE set up a clinical panel to assist in the processing of applications, where a person exceeds the income guidelines but there are difficult personal circumstances, such as an illness. The Medical Officer reviews and interprets medical information provided by the applicant on a confidential basis. He/she can liaise with general practitioners, hospital consultant and other health professionals as appropriate so as to determine the health needs of the applicant and his/her family and dependants.
It is important to stress that the medical card system is founded on the “undue hardship” test. The Health Act 1970 provides for medical cards on the basis of means. That is what the law states and we must operate within the legal parameters.
The HSE can also provide a medical card for patients in an emergency where they are seriously ill and in urgent need of medical care that they cannot afford.
Emergency medical cards are issued within 24 hours of receipt of the required patient details and letter of confirmation of condition from a doctor or consultant and are generally requested by a manager in a Local Health Office or a Social Worker.
Emergency cards are issued for six months on the basis that the patient is eligible for a medical card on the basis of means or undue financial hardship, and will follow up with a full application within a number of weeks of receiving the medical card.
The HSE ensures that the system responds to the variety of circumstances and complexities faced by individuals in these circumstances.
Question 19: Paediatric hospitals integration
With the Children’s Hospital Group Board appointed on 2 August 2013 to oversee the long overdue operational integration of the three existing paediatric hospitals in Dublin into a new children’s hospital, can the Minister provided us with an update on progress and the timeline for each phase?
The Children’s Hospital Group Board will oversee the operational integration of the three existing paediatric hospitals in advance of the move to the new hospital and is also the client for the new hospital. I appointed Dr Jim Browne as Chair of the Children’s Hospital Group Board last April. On 2 August I announced nine further appointments to the Children’s Hospital Group Board. The Chairs of the three paediatric hospitals are members of the Group Board. Other competency-based appointments have been made, with further competency-based appointments to be made at a later stage. The first meeting of the new Board took place on 2 October last.
On 13 September I announced that Ms. Eilísh Hardiman had been selected as CEO of the Children’s Hospital Group. This follows an open recruitment process led by the Public Appointments Service. The role of CEO of the Children’s Hospital Group is critically important in driving forward the integration of the three hospitals, and the project as a whole.
The Children’s Hospital Group Board will work closely with the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board on the capital project. The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) is the body responsible for the design, building, planning and equipping of the new hospital building. Also on 2 August, I announced appointments to the NPHDB which will ensure that the necessary capital development skills are available to drive this priority project to completion, including the appointment of Mr Tom Costello as Chair. These appointments replace the transitional Board of officials from DOH and HSE who had been charged with progressing the project on an interim basis. The key post of Programme Director for National Paediatric Hospital Development Board was advertised on 4 October and will be recruited via open competition. The Programme Director will be the chief officer of the agency, will lead the project and will be responsible directly to the Board for the delivery of this priority project.
Work on developing a detailed project timeline is continuing and I expect to receive an update on this within the coming weeks. This will reflect the urgency and priority of the project and also its scale and complexity. The estimated programme will be kept under continuous review and validation by those to be charged with project delivery.
In the near term, the tender process for the procurement of a new design team is well underway, and the aim is to have the new design team in place by the end of 2013. Pre-application planning discussions have commenced and the aim is to secure planning permission by December 2014 with construction to commence in Spring 2015. A review of urgent care centre(s) configuration is almost complete; the number and location of these satellite centres in the Dublin area is a key decision, as the size, activity and infrastructure of these satellite centre(s) has implications for the main hospital brief. In parallel, St. James’s Hospital is working closely with HSE Estates and the National Paediatric Development Board in regard to the decant phase of the project.
The new children’s hospital is a priority for me and for this Government. Everyone involved in the drive to deliver the new children’s hospital capital project is working to do so by the earliest possible completion date. I am confident that the appointments made to the two Boards will ensure the new hospital is completed as swiftly as possible, with optimal design and value for money.