Review of Drug Co-Ordination Teams - Final Report

Report by Deloitte & Touche October 2002

Mental Health Services for Older People Regional Summary (PDF 217 KB)

June 2004 - study to examine service provision, early identification, information and support, co-ordination of services and strategic planning

Lead Clinicians for Cancer Services - Revised 06.08.2002 (PDF 10 KB)

The Cancer Centre, the Belfast City Hospital Trust,* the Royal Victoria Hospital and each of the Cancer Units have appointed Lead Clinicians for Cancer Services. These Clinicians have a responsibility for the overall co-ordination and development of cancer services based at the Centre or Units. åÊ

Breastfeeding Strategy for Northern Ireland (PDF 212 KB)

Northern Ireland has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. Low breastfeeding rates are associated with considerable morbidity, some mortality and increased health service costs for women and children. In Northern Ireland, several factors make the initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding particularly difficult; these include cultural attitudes, commercial promotion of artificial milks and obstacles for the working mother. The aim of the Strategy is to promote and support breastfeeding. Medium-term objectives: - province-wide co-ordination of breastfeeding promotional activities - commissioning of breastfeeding support within the health service - detailed and uniform collection of infant feeding statistics - research into effective means of breastfeeding promotion - improved training in lactation management for health professionals - supporting breast milk feeding for special needs infants - raising of public awareness of the importance of breastfeeding - cessation of artificial milk promotion within the health service åÊ Long-term objectives: - adopt the recommendations following review of the milk token scheme in England - bringing the marketing of infant foods and feeding products into line with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes åÊ Progress will be monitored by the Northern Ireland Breastfeeding Strategy Group. åÊ åÊ

Care and Case Management for Older People in Ireland

This study provides, for the first time, a systematic review of how health and social services are currently being delivered to older people with the purpose of identifying models of best practice within a Care Management framework. The research allows the voices of a wide range of health and social service providers to comment individually about how care is currently delivered in Ireland. In addition, the research provides them with an opportunity to express how they feel about Care and Case Management as a model for the planning, co-ordination and delivery of services and its feasibility in an Irish context Download the Report here

European Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System Report for Ireland 1998

The EHLASS survey was set up in April 1986 as a five-year demonstration project. The objective was to monitor home and leisure accidents in a harmonised manner, throughout the EU, to determine their causes, the circumstances of their occurrence, their consequences and, most importantly, to provide information on consumer products involved. Armed with accurate information, it was felt that consumer policy could be directed at the most serious problems andthe best use could be made of available resources.   Data collection systems were set up for the collection of EHLASS data in the casualty departments of selected hospitals in each of the member states. The information was subsequently gathered together by the European Commission in Brussels. Extensive analysis was undertaken on 778,838 accidents reported throughout the EU. Centralised analysis of EHLASS data proved problematic due to lack of  co-ordination in data quality. In 1989 it was decided that each member state should  produce its own annual EHLASS report in a harmonised format specified by the European Commission. This report is the ninth such report for Ireland. Download the Report here

National Children's Strategy

The Strategy sets out an ambitious series of objectives to guide childrenâ?Ts policy over the next ten years. It sets out a common vision to work towards. It identifies six principles to guide all actions to be taken and it proposes a more holistic way of thinking about children which reflects contemporary understanding of childhood. To realise the vision the Strategy then sets three National Goals: to listen, think and act more effectively for children. New structures are proposed to deliver better co-ordination between government departments and the agencies providing services to children so that the Goals can be achieved. Rooted in the positive vision of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, it represents a different way of doing business, which will, if we all work together, help us become a society which fully values and respects its children. Download the Report here

Improving care for people with long term conditions: 'at a glance' information sheets for healthcare professionals

The Department has produced a series of information sheets for doctors,nurses, those delivering personal health budgets, allied health professionals, health trainers and anyone supporting individuals with long term conditions. The information sheets cover a range of topics including care planning, care co-ordination, managing need and assessment of risk, motivating people to self care, goal setting and action planning and end of life care.Download information sheet 1: Personalised care planning (PDF, 2514K)Download information sheet 2: Personalised care planning diagram (PDF, 2213K)Download information sheet 3: Care co-ordination (PDF, 1967K.

Foodborne infections & gastrointestinal disease on the island Of Ireland in 2002

A safefood consultation paper, ‘Towards the Enhancement of Foodborne Disease Surveillance’ indicated that the guiding principles for the development of surveillance in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland should be the integration of data collection systems and analysis of combined data. The current surveillance systems have developed independently from each other and clinical, food and animal surveillance systems remain un-integrated in both jurisdictions. A more complete and efficient food safety system could be achieved through co-ordination and linkages across the disease surveillance systems and jurisdictions. For that reason, stronger links are being developed between safefood, surveillance agencies, government departments and public health professionals. This report is an examination and review of the clinical surveillance data collected in both jurisdictions. The work was undertaken as part of safefood’s support for the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), which trains EU medical practitioners, public health nurses, microbiologists or veterinarians in all aspects of foodborne disease surveillance.

A re-focused and re-energised National Drugs Strategy, Issue 14, Summer 2005

The Mid-Term Review1 of the National Drugs Strategy 2001–2008, published on 2 June 2005, recommends a number of additions and amendments to the existing Strategy, including making rehabilitation a new, ‘fifth’ pillar of the Strategy. The Steering Group that oversaw the Review, and the extensive consultation process on which it is based, found that the aims and objectives of the Strategy are fundamentally sound. While what has been achieved varies from action to action, progress has been made across the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research, and in the co-ordination of the institutional structures of the Strategy. The Review recommends the addition of eight new actions, the replacement of nine of the existing actions and amendments to a further eight. It also recommends revisions to the Strategy’s key performance indicators, reflecting new developments and data availability. The recommendations serve to ‘re-focus and re-energise’ the Strategy in the remaining period up to 2008.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

A Survey of Health Service Utilisation and Health Needs of a Population of Patient with HIV/ AIDS

This study described the demographic and medical characteristics of a population of patients with HIV/AIDS attending the department of Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) at a major Dublin hospital. The study population's utilisation of statutory and voluntary medical and social services at primary care level, satisfaction with services received and perceived need for services examined. The information obtained was used to make recommendations concerning the provision of care to patients with HIV/AIDS. The study was carried out between February and November 1994. Data was collected from a consecutive sample of eighty inpatients using n interviewer-administered questionnaire which contained both closed and open questions. The first forty patients interviewed were reviewed six months following the initial interview to document changes in physical condition and uptake of medical services over that time period. Data for the second part of the study was obtained by review of the patients' medical case notes and interview with the individual hospital medical social worker assigned to each patient. Over ninety percent of respondents were from the Greater Dublin Area. Almost three quarters were intravenous drug users (IVDUs), and the majority of these patients came from south inner city Dublin. The methodology was biased towards sampling patients with advanced disease and 73% had CDC Stage 4 disease. Twenty percent required some assistance with the activities of daily living when first interviewed. Most were reliant on informal carers. Social and physical dependency increased substantially over the six month period of the follow-up study of forty patients. Financial difficulties were identified as a particular area of need. Only ten percent of those interviewed were in current employment and over 80% were dependent on statutory payments. There is a need for greater co-ordination between the providers of services to patients HIV/AIDS and an improved system of data collection regarding patients' uptake of services and unmet needs is required to assist in future service planning.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

A FITTER FUTURE FOR ALL: PROGRESS REPORT 2012-2014

This report outlines the progress made during the first two years of the implementation of A Fitter Future for All. It is important to acknowledge that whilst the Framework was launched in March 2012, it took time to put in place mechanisms to oversee the co-ordination of the various delivery partners and to establish the Regional Obesity Prevention Implementation Group, and subsequent Action Plans. The implementation of the Framework has been progressing, and steps are underway for completing many of the short term outcomes within the agreed timeframes - 2012 to 2015. However, we also recognise that we need to continue to prioritise this area and we are not complacent about the challenge ahead.

Diagnosing poisoning: Carbon monoxide (CO)

Guidance for primarycareon how to deal withpatients presenting with possible symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Produced by the Health Protection Agency and adapted by the Public Health Agency.

Substance abuse treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders.

This TIP, Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons With Co-Occurring Disorders, revises TIP 9, Assessment and Treatment of Patients With Coexisting Mental Illness and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. The revised TIP provides information about new developments in the rapidly growing field of co-occurring substance use and mental disorders and captures the state-of-the-art in the treatment of people with co-occurring disorders. The TIP focuses on what the substance abuse treatment clinician needs to know and provides that information in an accessible manner. The TIP synthesizes knowledge and grounds it in the practical realities of clinical cases and real situations so the reader will come away with increased knowledge, encouragement, and resourcefulness in working with clients with co-occurring disorders. Contents: Executive Summary â?¢ 1 Introduction  2 Definitions, Terms, and Classification Systems for Co-Occurring Disorders  3 Keys to Successful Programming  4 Assessment  5 Strategies for Working With Clients With Co-Occurring Disorders  6 Traditional Settings and Models  7 Special Settings and Specific Populations  8 A Brief Overview of Specific Mental Disorders and Cross-Cutting Issues 9 Substance-Induced Disorders Appendix A: Bibliography Appendix B: Acronyms  Appendix C: Glossary of Terms Appendix D: Specific Mental Disorders: Additional Guidance for the Counselor  Appendix E: Emerging Models â?¢ Appendix F: Common Medications for Disorders  Appendix G: Screening and Assessment Instruments  Appendix H: Screening Instruments  Appendix I: Selected Sources of Training  Appendix J: Dual Recovery Mutual Self-Help Programs and Other Resources for Consumers and Providers  Appendix K: Confidentiality  Appendix L: Resource Panel  Appendix M: Cultural Competency and Diversity Network Participants Appendix N: Field ReviewersThis resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.