Harney focuses on cystic fibrosis services

News analysis: Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney has told the Health Service Executive (HSE) that she wants special attention given to the development of services for patients with cystic fibrosis in the current year.

In correspondence to the HSE on its €11 billion expenditure programme for the year, Ms Harney said she was particularly concerned to see "significant improvement" in the level of cystic fibrosis services.

The Tánaiste told the HSE its budget for the year had been framed on the basis that it should provide the same level of services as last year. However, she said €239 million in funding was being allocated to develop additional services.

The largest single amount of additional funding, €100 million, is to go to developing various services for people with disabilities. An additional €60 million is also to be provided to allow for new hospital and health sector facilities which were built under the National Development Plan to be brought into use for patients. Ms Harney said a schedule of units to be opened in the current year is to be agreed between her department and the HSE.

Nearly €5 million in additional funding has been earmarked by the Department of Health for the development of services for people with cystic fibrosis. "The current service deficits in this area are widely acknowledged," Ms Harney said.

She said a HSE report, to be published shortly, would include recommendations "in relation to a range of service improvements required for persons with cystic fibrosis, in particular, the need to increase the level of clinical, nursing and allied health professional staffing in units around the country and in particular at the national adult referral centre at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin."

The Tánaiste said an additional €9 million, earmarked in the financial estimates for further implementation of the National Cancer Strategy, should seek to meet additional service pressures, improve the quality of care and facilitate better access to radiation oncology including the provision of dedicated transport arrangements for patients. The money should also go towards the preparation of a national cervical screening programme.

An additional €8 million is to go towards developing renal services around the country, including a living-related donor programme. There will also be an additional €3 million investment in neurology/neurophysiology services and a further €3 million for obesity services.

Almost 40 per cent of the €100 million in additional funding set aside for disability services is to go towards the provision of facilities for persons with intellectual disability and autism.

As part of a €39.5 million investment, Ms Harney said the HSE should provide 255 new residential places, 85 new respite places and 535 new day places. Just over €2 million is being provided to continue the implementation of the transfer of persons with intellectual disability and autism from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements.

Just under €12 million has been earmarked for additional services for persons with physical or sensory disabilities. These include 80 new residential places for those with significant disabilities who are in "inappropriate settings". Around 250,000 additional hours of home support and personal assistance will also be funded. A total of €7.5 million is being allocated in additional funding for the provision of additional community-based mental health facilities.

Ms Harney, in her correspondence to the HSE, also said an additional €10 million was being made available "to address core under- funding and core staffing issues in services for people with disabilities provided by the voluntary sector."