Report of the National Physical and Sensory Disability Database Development Committee

The need for information on the health service needs of people with physical and/or sensory disabilities was first highlighted in Shaping a Healthier Future, a document which outlined the national strategy for effective healthcare in the 1990s. This strategy document identified the establishment of a national database as the means of gathering such information Download the Report here

Department of Health and Children Business Plan 2003

Department of Health and Children Business Plan 2003 The National Health Strategy â?oQuality and Fairness: A Health System for Youâ?Âù is based on a whole-system approach to health matters. It recognises the role of stakeholders such as the public, community and voluntary bodies, health service providers, statutory and non-statutory bodies, other Government Departments and international bodies in working together to produce a world-class health system and a healthier population. Click here to download PDF 2.5mb

Gender and Health: Strategies for Implemention - Seminar Proceedings

The recently published National Women's Strategy (NWS) identified the need to incorporate a gender perspective into mainstream health policy, as well as implementing positive action measures to ensure that the health of women in this country is promoted and protected (Government of Ireland, 2007). The strategyalso refers to the importance of gender as a health determinant and the recognition by the Health Service Executive of the need to work in partnership with the Women's Health Council (WHC) to develop gender mainstreaming in the planning and delivery of its services (HSE, 2005). Download document here

Public Service Agreement - Health Sector Progress Report and Savings - May 2011

Public Service Agreement – Health Sector Progress Report and Savings – May 2011 Click here to download PDF 4.69MB

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

Sixth Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Group for A Vision for Change - the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy - July 2012

Sixth Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Group for A Vision for Change – the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy – July 2012 This is the 6th Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Group for A Vision for Change (IMG) and the final report of the Second Group. It is clear to the IMG that the implementation of A Vision for Change (AVFC) to date including 2011 has been slow and inconsistent. There is a continued absence of a National Mental Health Service Directorate with authority and control of resources. Such a body has the potential to give strong corporate leadership and act as a catalyst for change. Click here to download HSE National and Regional Progress ReportsHSE – 6th Annual Report HSE – National and Regional Progress Report Progress Reports from Government DepartmentsDepartment of Children and Youth AffairsDepartment of Education and SkillsDepartment of Health Department of Justice and Equality Department of Social ProtectionDepartment of Environment, Community & Local Government National Mental Health Programme Plan Consultation Document What We Heard Submissions Received by the IMGAmnesty International Ireland submission Association of Occupational Therapists submission College of Psychiatry of Ireland submissionCollege of Psychiatry of Ireland – Press Release regarding Social Psychiatry and Recovery Conference College of Psychiatry of Ireland – regarding Psychotherapy Training for Psychiatric TraineesCollege of Psychiatry of Ireland – regarding relationship with Pharmaceutical Industry College of Psychiatry of Ireland – Mental Health in Primary CareDisability Federation of IrelandHealth Research Board submission Irish Association of Social Workers – Adult Mental Health Irish Association of Social Workers – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Irish College of General PractitionersMental Health CommissionMental Health ReformPharmaceutical Society of IrelandIrish Advocacy Network Childrens Mental Health CoalitionNational Disability AuthorityNational Service Users ExecutiveNational Service Users Executive – Second Opinions ReportNational Federation of Voluntary BodiesHeadstrong  

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

Strategic development review of health board food control laboratories

The Official Food Safety laboratories have a critical role in ensuring food safety and public health for the whole population of the Republic of Ireland. These public health laboratories are made up of 7 microbiological testing laboratories and 3 chemical or Public Analyst’s laboratories. The laboratories are regionally based and offer an accredited (INAB) service to 10 health boards thus spanning the country. The role of the laboratories is to test food for compliance with the relevant legislation and guidelines, identify food-borne hazards and disease outbreaks, provide essential risk assessment information for national and international needs, provide a food testing service for consumers and a water testing service on a national basis. They also participate in dedicated National and EU surveys under the auspices of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). There has been significant investment and development in food-related public health protection in Ireland in recent years. However, there are still a number of issues that have the potential to impact on these laboratories in delivering a fully effective public health service in a cost efficient manner. Building on what has been achieved to date, this strategic review identifies those issues to be addressed in order to ensure (1) a cost effective national co-ordinated food safety laboratory service, (2) that future laboratory service needs are accounted for in the delivery of their Public Health role, and (3) that this Service meets both national and international requirements and standards.

A vision for change: Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy (2006)

This report, the first comprehensive review of mental health policy since 'Planning for the Future' was published in 1984, makes a series of recommendations for the mental health services, including the closure of all psychiatric hospitals and re-investment of the resources into a community-based mental health service.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Third annual report of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)

16,080 Irish children (1.55% of population under 18 yrs.) availing of Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services   7,849 new cases were seen by community CAMHS teams between October 2010 and September 2011,compared with 7,561 in the previous 12 months   45% of referrals are seen within 1 month of referral and 69% within 3 months   Numbers waiting for CAMHS services down by 20%   61 multi-disciplinary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services teams in place .This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Mental health services for homeless: patient profile and factors associated with suicide and homicide.

This study aimed to establish a profile of users of the mental health service for homeless in Cork, comparing this group with those attending a General Adult Service. The homeless group were significantly more likely to be male (89% v 46%), unemployed (96% v 68%), unmarried (98% v 75%) and under 65 (94% v 83%). Diagnostically, there was a significantly higher prevalence of schizophrenia (50% v 34%); personality disorder (37% v 11%) and substance dependence (74% v 19%) in the homeless service users. They were more likely to have a history of deliberate self harm (54% v 21%) and violence (48% v 10%). Severe mental illness has a high prevalence in the homeless population, with particularly high levels of factors associated with suicide and homicide. Poor compliance and complexity of illness lead to a requirement for significant input from multidisciplinary mental health teams members.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Dual diagnosis in mental health inpatient and day hospital settings.

Many mental health patients also have substance misuse problems, so mental health service staff need to be skilled to provide simple prevention and treatment interventions, assisted by drug and alcohol specialists. This guidance covers the assessment and clinical management of patients with mental illness being cared for in psychiatric inpatient or day care settings who also use or misuse alcohol and/or illicit or other drugs*. It also covers organisational and management issues to help mental health services manage these patients effectively. The key message is that the assessment and management of drug and alcohol use are core competences required by clinical staff in mental health services. The guidance aims to: â?¢ encourage integration of drug and alcohol expertise and related training into mental health service provision; â?¢ provide ideas and guidance to front-line staff and manages to help them provide the most effective therapeutic environments; â?¢ help mental health services plan action on dual diagnosisâ? .This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

National Clinical Audit Support Programme: National Diabetes Audit

The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) is a national audit service sponsored by the Healthcare Commission. Available since April 2004, it enables routine data collection, analysis and feedback of diabetes related data for all adults and children with diabetes in England.

Health Inequalities Intervention Toolkit

This Health Inequalities Intervention Toolkit, developed jointly by the Association of Public Health Observatories and the Department of Health, focuses on improving life expectancy and infant mortality rates, especially in disadvantaged areas. Based on local authority boundaries, it is designed to assist evidence-based local service planning and commissioning, including Joint Strategic Needs Assessments. The Toolkit does this by providing information on the diseases, which are causing low life expectancy in individual areas, enabling good local priority setting. The Toolkit was originally designed to support achievement of the national Public Service Agreement target to: "Reduce health inequalities by 10% by 2010 as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth." Although the PSA target has now ended, the Toolkit should still be useful to the NHS and local government, supporting planning to narrow inequalities in life expectancy and infant mortality