Briggs Report - Review of Health and Social Services in the Case of David and Samuel Briggs (PDF 226 KB)

Briggs Report - Review of Health and Social Services in the Case of David and Samuel Briggs - June 2003

The Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors (PDF 89KB)

To Commissioning Health and Social Care

Audit of the Irish health system for value for money

In April 2000, Deloitte & Touche in conjunction with the York Health Economics Consortium were chosen by The Department of Health & Children to carry out an examination of the health services over the past ten years Download the Report here

Proceedings of the National Conference on the assessment of Older People's Health and Social Care Needs and Preferences

The Conference took place on May 30th, 2002 in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoigaire. It attracted over 250 delegates from across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors and the interest that was expressed in the Conference was indicative of the growing recognition of the importance of establishing a more co-ordinated way of conducting health and social care assessments for older people. The Conference provided the opportunity to both discuss the necessity for a standardised approach to conducting assessments and to explore the merits of establishing a national framework for the multi-disciplinary assessment of older people’s health and social care needs and preferences.   Download document here

Building Healthier Hearts: The Report of the Cardiovascular Health Strategy Group

This introduction to "Building Healthier Hearts" will give readers an overview of the report of the Cardiovascular Health Strategy Group. Firstly, it sets out the background to the strategy and its policy context. A brief description of mortality and morbidity trends from cardiovascular disease in Ireland follows. Next an overview is given of current health service provision and of the changes considered necessary by the Group Download the Report here

Evaluation of pilot initiatives undertaken in the North Eastern and South Eastern Health Boards on the provision of General Practitioner out-of-hours services in those areas

To assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the management, administrative and support structures for the General Practitioner out-of-hours pilot projects in the North Eastern and South Eastern Health Boards having regard to value for money and service enhancement considerations Download the Report here

Final Report of the Review Group on Health Service Care Staff

The National Health Strategy “Quality and Fairness, Health System for You” states“ a key objective of the human resource framework is to develop and explicitly value staff at all levels of the health system. This in turn benefits service users.” The strategy explicitly states that one of its initiatives was “to introduce the grade of Health Care Assistant (HCA) as a member of healthcare teams to assist and support nurses and midwives. A national six month training programme for Health Care Assistants to commence at the end of November 2001. Seventeen pilot programmes to be delivered by the health services in conjunction with the Further Education Training Awards Council (FETAC)”.

Community Pharmacy Contractor Agreement for Provision of Community Pharmacy Services Under the Health Act 1970

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE IRISH PHARMACEUTICAL UNION IN RESPECT OF THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITY PHARMACY SERVICES UNDER THE HEALTH ACT, 1970 Read the memorandum  

Core Functions of the Health Service Report

The Government Decision1 on the Structural, Organisational, Financial Management and Systems Reform of the Health Sector of June, 2003 acknowledged that in order to increase the effectiveness of the health service generally, and its capacity to deliver the reform agenda, it was important that the service was fully concentrated on addressing its core health objectives. The Minister for Health and Children and Minister for Finance felt that there could be scope to transfer certain functions out of the health service and locate them more appropriately within other functional areas of Government. As part of the overall decision, it was agreed that a working group would be established, to include the Departments of Health and Children, Finance and An Taoiseach, to examine the scope for transfer of certain activities to other, more appropriate, Departments and agencies and that on completion of this review, the Minister for Health and Children would bring proposals to Government. Read the Report (PDF, 70kb)  

Report of the National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapists to the Minister for Health and Children

The focus of this report is the regulation of complementary therapists and, as such, does not deal directly with the efficacy of such therapies. It is for the consumer to make the choice of which therapy they intend to use. Whether they wish to consult a qualified therapist such as a homeopath or an acupuncturist, a healer, the seventh son of a seventh son, a person reputed to have a cure for a particular ailment or a person with a special skill with bones; the choice is theirs. Read the report (PDF 607kb) Download the accompanying leaflet (PDF 300kb) Note – Re: Page 70. ASK Ireland wish to clarify that the Kinesiology Association of Ireland do not represent the Association of Systematic Kinesiology in Ireland, in any way.

The prevention of transmission of blood-borne diseases in the health-care setting

  The risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens in the health-care setting has become a matter of increasing concern in Ireland in recent years. Health-care workers undertaking exposure-prone procedures are at risk of contracting blood-borne diseases from the patients they are treating and there is also a small risk that patients who are undergoing such procedures may become infected by the health-care workers who are treating them. An Advisory Group on the Transmission of Infectious Diseases in the Health-Care Setting was established in 1995 to advise the Minister for Health on the prevention of the transmission of such diseases. The Advisory Group published its report in 1997. It was realised at that time that this matter would need to be kept under review and a Standing Advisory Committee was established. Guidelines on this subject were published by the Advisory Committee in June1999. In the current document, these guidelines have been substantially revised in the light of recent information and technical developments and are now considered to be a Code of Practice in the area of prevention of the transmission of blood-borne pathogens in the health-care setting.    

A Vision for Change - Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy

This Report proposes a framework of mental health service delivery with the service user at its centre. The emphasis is firmly on recovery and on facilitating active partnerships between service users, carers and mental health  professionals. Its recommendations are innovative and some of them are challenging. However, I have nodoubt that their implementation will bring about farreaching change and modernisation in the Irish mentalhealth services, which will be to the benefit of everyone concerned.” Tim O'Malley T.D.Minister of State at the Department of Health & Childrenwith special responsibility for mental health Download the Report (PDF, 1mb)

Report of the National Health Consultative Forum 2006

Report of the National Health Consultative Forum 2006 Ms. Mary Harney, T.D., the Minister for Health and Children convened the National Health Consultative Forum 2006 to advise her on matters relating to the provision of health and personal social services. This was the first National Consultative Forum to be convened under Part 8 of the Health Act, 2004, which provides for Public Representation and User Participation. Click here to download PDF 601kb

Review of the Operation of the Mental Health Act 2001

The Mental Health Act 2001 replaces the Mental Treatment Acts 1945-61 which provided the statutory framework for the detention of people with mental illness and the administration of psychiatric services for over 50 years.The 2001 Act was introduced on a phased basis to allow for the necessary preparatory work to be undertaken. In March 2002 sections 1 to 5, 7, and 31 to 55 were commenced with effect from the 5 April 2002 (Establishment Day). This allowed for the establishment of the Mental Health Commission and the Inspector of Mental Health Services to replace the Inspector of Mental Hospitals. The Mental Health Act 2001 replaces the Mental Treatment Acts 1945-61 which provided the statutory framework for the detention of people with mental illness and the administration of psychiatric services for over 50 years. The 2001 Act was introduced on a phased basis to allow for the necessary preparatory work to be undertaken. In March 2002 sections 1 to 5, 7, and 31 to 55 were commenced with effect from the 5 April 2002 (Establishment Day). This allowed for the establishment of the Mental Health Commission and the Inspector of Mental Health Services to replace the Inspector of Mental Hospitals. Click here to download PDF 202kb