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Disability Service Provision. A Perspective from the Department of Health and Children Fergal Lynch Assistant Secretary, Continuing Care Policy 14 November 2006. The Key Challenges. Investing in People and Services National Disability Strategy
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Disability Service Provision A Perspective from the Department of Health and Children Fergal Lynch Assistant Secretary, Continuing Care Policy 14 November 2006
The Key Challenges • Investing in People and Services • National Disability Strategy • Building the relationship between statutory and voluntary agencies • C&AG Report • Achieving real change
National Disability Strategy Sets the agenda for change • Disability Act 2005 • EPSEN Act 2004 • Sectoral Plans • Multi Annual Investment Programme 2006 - 2009
National Disability Strategy • Builds on existing framework incl: • Employment Equality Act 1998 • Equal Status Act 2000 • Equality Act 2004 • Seeks to: • Combine legislation, policies, institutional arrangements for equal participation
Disability Act 2005 • Effective implementation is key • Seeks to • Identify and deliver individual health, education and personal social services • Focus on the individual • Promote real equity • Help highlight needs, services and gaps • Ministers must budget to respond to financial demands of Act, while taking account of other responsibilities
Disability Act 2005 • Independent assessment of need – as of right • To be provided by assessment officers in HSE with independent statutory functions • To be undertaken in accordance with pre-defined standards • Individual service statements prepared by Liaison Officers, taking account of • Assessment report • Eligibility • Standards and codes of practice • Practicality of providing services • Financial resources
Disability Act 2005 • Includes complaints procedure against: • Finding of no disability • Assessment not commenced/completed • Assessment not meeting HIQA standards • Contents of service statement • Failure to provide a health or education service contained in service statement or to provide it within any prescribed timeframe
Disability Act 2005 • Individual may appeal against • Recommendation of complaints officer • Non implementation of recommendation of complaints officer (by HSE or education provider) • Appeals Officer to be appointed by Minister for Health and Children. Independent office, budget and staff • To provide independent mediation, appeals and enforcement • Statutory powers to summon witnesses, enter premises, obtain information • Scope for enforcement order – apply to Circuit Court
DoHC: Main Actions to Implement • Commence Part II for under-5s on 1-6-2007 • Commence for 5-18’s in tandem with EPSEN • Commence adults not later than 2011 • Regulations on assessment of need process • Standards for assessment of need process • Regulations for making complaints
DoHC: Main Actions to Implement • Appoint appeals officer and staff • Cross sectoral team for DA and Epsen • National Disability Advisory Committee • Review Sectoral Plan by July 2007
Investing in People and Services • €2.4 billion in 2006 • Multi Annual Programme 2006-2009 • Produced tangible developments, 2005 • 255 new residential places • 85 new respite places • 535 new day places • 80 new res. places/inappropriate placements • 250,000 extra hours, home support • Developments of similar scale 2006 and beyond
Investing in People and Services • The agenda must be investment • We need to demonstrate tangible results • Information needs • Focus on meeting individual needs • Harness the potential brought by increased resources • Challenge to keep momentum
Building Relationships • Statutory and voluntary have a long history of working together • Identify best means of delivery • C&AG Report is entirely consistent with overall approach of National Disability Strategy
C & AG Report • Huge advantage of vol/stat partnership but inconsistencies in how services are planned and resources allocated • New approach to procuring and delivering services • Refinement of contractual relationships • Service agreements between HSE and providers: meet agreed needs of clients, not block grants • Service statements will bring specificity re services to be provided
C & AG Report • Unitary HSE to help a standardised approach • New governance framework needed for non-statutory sector • We need a new resource allocation model for services – an issue wider than disability
Achieving Real Change • NDS offers considerable potential • Disability Act changes the focus of what we do • Consensus on future planning and service provision is vital • We’re all “in this together” • This is about people