Public Service Agreement - Health Sector Progress Report - October 2011

Public Service Agreement – Health Sector Progress Report – October 2011 Click here to download PDF 7.66MB

Non-Commercial State Agencies - Public Service Agreement Progress Report - October 2011

Non-Commercial State Agencies – Public Service Agreement Progress Report – October 2011 Click here to download PDF 35KB

Facilitation Process Concerning the Difficulties in Implementing A Vision For Change in the South Tipperary and Carlow Kilkenny Catchment Area Mental Health Service

Facilitation Process Concerning the Difficulties in Implementing A Vision For Change in the South Tipperary and Carlow Kilkenny Catchment Area Mental Health Service Click here to download PDF 4.27MB

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 - Health Sector Action Plan 2012

This revised Action Plan is designed to support the delivery of the HSEâ?Ts 2012 National Service Plan by facilitating the fast-tracking of measures required to deliver essential health and personal social services across the country within the context of further reductions in funding and staff numbers. The implementation of the National Service Plan, approved by the Minister for Health on 13 January 2012, represents a major challenge to the health services and comes at a time of major reform of the public health system.   Click here to download PDF 161kb

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) Integrated Departmental and Agencies Action Plan 2012

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) Integrated Departmental and Agencies Action Plan 2012 Integrated Departmental and Agencies Action Plan (Jan 2012) PDF 54kb Integrated Departmental and Agencies Action Plan (Oct 2012) PDF 194kb  

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) - Second Annual Progress, Savings and Productivity Reports for the Department and its Agencies

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) – Second Annual Progress, Savings and Productivity Reports for the Department and its Agencies Integrated Annual Progress Report for the Department and its Agencies PDF 327kb Annual Savings Report for the Department’s Agencies PDF 205kb Productivity Report for the Department and its Agencies PDF 205kb

Public Service Agreement - Revised Health Sector Action Plan - December 2012

The health service has been at the forefront in delivering significant change under the PSA. The substantial contribution already made by health service staff, especially during the period of concentrated retirements up to February 2012, is acknowledged and much appreciated by management. These changes are being achieved in what is a complex working environment with increasing demands, (500,000 increase in medical card holders between 2007 and 2012) and a growing and ageing population, within a public health service which is undergoing unprecedented organisational change and reform, accompanied by a reducing workforce. Public Service Agreement – Revised Health Sector Action Plan- December 2012 savings report Click here to download PDF 51kb

Public Service Agreement - Health Sector second annual progress and savings report

Department cover letters PDF 839kb Main health sector progress report PDF 11.1mb Traffic light document PDF 39kb Savings template PDF 268kb

Public Service Agreement Health Sector 3rd Annual Progress Report 1st April to 31st December 2012

Public Service Agreement Health Sector 3rd Annual Progress Report 1st April to 31st December 2012 Click here to download PDF 1MB

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) - Third Annual Progress and Savings Report for the Department and its Agencies

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 (Croke Park Agreement) – Third Annual Progress and Savings Report for the Department and its Agencies   Click here to download Integrated Progress Report on Action Plan for the Department and its Agencies PDF 242KB Click here to download Annual Savings Report for the Department’s Agencies PDF 155KB

National Strategy on Dementia Summary of Consultation Process

The Programme for Government gives a commitment to develop a National Strategy on Dementia by 2013 which will increase awareness, ensure early diagnosis and intervention, and enhance community based services for people living with this condition. During 2012, following the completion of the Research Review in preparation for the National Strategy, the Department carried out a public consultation to inform its development. This report is a summary of the responses and submissions received. Click here to download PDF 271KB  

Department of Health and Children Consolidated Salary Scales - Clause 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement

CONSOLIDATED SALARY SCALES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE 2.31 OF THE HADDINGTON ROAD AGREEMENT These scales must be read in conjunction with Department of Health Circular 3/2014 With reference to Clause 2.31 of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) which addresses the remuneration of new entrant grades who entered the Public Service on or after 1 January 2011 and were subject to Department of Health Circular 2/2011 dated 24 March 2011.   New entrants to health sector recruitment grades, who were subject to the 2011 reduced pay rates will be assimilated to the revised/merged incremental payscale as and from 1 November 2013. Download the document here

Report of the Consultation Process on new legislation to replace the Dentists Act, 1985

  This is a report of a public consultation which the Department of Health undertook in June 2013 on new legislation to replace the Dentists Act 1985. The report outlines the views and opinions of those who completed questionnaires or made submissions to the Department on the proposed new legislation. One hundred and twenty five questionnaires/submissions were received. Of these, 98 were submissions made by personal respondents and 27 were made by corporate respondents. Download this document as a PDF The breakdown of these respondents is as follows: This report will inform the development of policy on the key issues, which will be the next stage in the process towards developing new dental legislation.

A Grounded Theory Model of the Counselling Referral Process in Primary Care Methadone Treatment in Ireland.

In terms of the treatment of illicit drug abuse, methadone maintenance is a well researched and widely applied systematic response. The approach to primary care methadone treatment in Ireland is based on the methadone protocol. Primary care plays a central role in the delivery of methadone treatment. Beginning with a view that a system evolves within the constraints and influencing factors of its context, the aim of this thesis is to model the process that has developed by which patients on primary care methadone treatment are referred to counselling. It investigates the role primary care practitioners perceive they have in relation to managing the psychosocial aspects of the methadone patient's treatment regime. It analyzes individual medical practitioner counselling referral mechanisms to determine what common processes operate across different practitioners. It identifies the factors that influence the use of counselling on primary care methadone programmes and structures these in a cause/effect model. This research used interviews and documentary analysis to acquire grounded data. The sample consisted primarily of medical practitioners involved in the delivery of methadone programmes. Others closely involved in the implementation of drug treatment in the primary care context made up the balance of interviewees. The study used a grounded theory methodology to induce the process that was latent in the grounded data. Concepts emerging were grouped under the headings of referral factors, decision making factors and factors related to the unique positioning of primary care at the interface between medicine and society. The core finding was that, in primary care in Ireland, there is no psychological model to complement the pharmacological intervention of methadone substitution. The findings from this study offer insight into the factors at work and their impacts, in the context of the use of counselling in primary care methadone treatment. The study suggests a possible direction for further evolution of opiate abuse treatment in Ireland which would transform it from a harm reduction to a holistic patient centric paradigm.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

A Process Analysis of Males and Females who Attended a Community Based Addiction Treatment Service: Towards an Expanded Paradigm

A process analysis was conducted in a community - based treatment programme for alcohol abuse. The aims of the study were: to evaluate assessment instruments and measures; to measure change following treatment; to monitor gender differences; to assess the importance of early and current relationships; and to evaluate the effects of therapists. Subjects (n=145, males 83/females 62) completed a semi-structured interview schedule, Severity of Alcohol Dependency Questionnaire (SADQ), Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD); General Health Questionnaire (GHQ 12), and Alcohol Problems Questionnaire (APQ). A further three non-standardised self-rated measures were devised by the author. Included was the opportunity to obtain qualitative data. Follow up data was collected at 3, 9 and 15 months following first assessment. The SADD, APQ and consumption measures using detailed drink diaries proved the most relevant assessment measures. Following treatment, there was significant reduction in clients' dependency levels at 3 months, maintained through 9 and 15 months. Key client-rated changes were progress in reducing consumption and alcohol problems leading to a better quality of life and health. Qualitative data augmented these quantitative results. Psychological and acquired cognitive behavioural skills emerged as the main reasons for positive change and the treatment programme was found to have played a significant role in their acquisition. It appears that addressing marital problems can lead to a reduction in alcohol dependency levels. Gender analysis showed that males and females were similar in demographic characteristics, alcohol history details and dependence levels. It was concluded that the differences found did not necessitate different treatment programmes for women. Early family relationships were more problematic for females. Therapist performance varied and that variance was reflected in their clients' outcomes.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.