Speech by Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly T.D

Speech by Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly T.D. -  “Transforming the Health System- Can we get it right?” - McGill Summer School – 28th July 2011

In his speech at the McGill Summer School Minister Reilly said

 I want to announce tonight, as part of the work of the SDU, significant changes in how hospitals will deal with long waiting lists and in the operation of the National Treatment Purchase Fund. There are three main changes:

First, all public hospitals are being instructed to ensure they have no patients waiting more than 12 months by the end of the year.  It is unacceptable that hospitals leave some patients on waiting lists for very long periods of time safe in the knowledge that the NTPF will eventually pick up the tab. I will no longer tolerate this attitude to patients – hospitals need to become accountable for the listing decisions of their surgeons. I am therefore requiring all hospitals to ensure that they have no patient listed as waiting over 12 months for treatment by the end of the year. Where they fail to do so, the NTPF will source the necessary treatments and the hospitals’ budgets will be reduced by a corresponding amount in 2012
Second, the NTPF will target particular backlogs rather than routinely accept referrals of patients waiting over 3 months. The NTPF will still provide treatments for patients but will target specific backlogs. Follow up treatments for existing patients will be provided as is the normal practice.
Third, I want a system where the patient and taxpayer get the greatest return on scarce resources consistent with quality and safety. That is why I am ending the requirement that the NTPF purchase 90% of treatments in the private sector. The NTPF will purchase treatments wherever it gets the best value in either the public or the private sector. I want the NTPF to drive a hard bargain on behalf of patients without regard to the location of the treatment.

Read the Full Speech

Poor monitoring for metabolic syndrome in people with learning disability taking antipsychotic medication

Posted: 04 Jul 2011 12:16 AM PDT Anti-psychotic medications comprise between 30–50% of all psychotropics prescribed for people with learning disabilities as reported in this WELD post: This study set out to explore metabolic syndrome (a group of risk factors that occur together and increase the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in people with learning disabilities who [...]

University of Georgia - Books Gifted to COPE Foundation. Available to borrow now.

July 2011 UGA Study Abroad Programme. 
Sincere thanks to David & Kathy Gast for their kind donation of these books.
To borrow any of these books  contact Sheila (Ext. 3204)

A Special Book About Me

A Book for Children Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Josie Santomauro
Illustrated by Carla Marino

There's a kid at school who gets extra help from a special teacher. He has temper tantrums when he is angry and sometimes finds it hard to pay attention. He might even have been to a special school to learn how to behave appropriately in class. One day this kid started to ask questions like,... more »

   

You Are Special Too
A Book for Brothers and Sisters of Children Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome
Josie Santomauro
Illustrated by Illustrated by Carla Marino

'My brother gets extra help from a special teacher. He has temper tantrums when he is angry and sometimes finds it hard to pay attention. He has even been to a special school to learn how to behave appropriately in class. He might be a little different from others in some ways ... but my... more »

2009, Paperback: £5.99/ $9.95

Fathering Your Special Child

A Book for Fathers or Carers of Children Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Josie Santomauro
Illustrated by Illustrated by Carla Marino

So your child has Asperger Syndrome (AS)? You might have noticed that some of his behavior is a bit different to most kids, that he becomes stressed when faced with change, and he doesn't cope well with criticism or failure.
This book offers a fun and accessible introduction for the... m

Your Special Grandchild

A Book for Grandparents of Children Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Josie Santomauro
Illustrated by Illustrated by Carla Marino

'So your grandchild has Asperger Syndrome (AS)? You might have noticed that some of his behaviour is a bit different to most kids, that he becomes stressed when faced with change and he doesn't cope well with criticism or failure.'
This book offers a fun and accessible introduction for... more »

Beyond the Autism Diagnosis
A Professional’s Guide to Helping Families
By Marion O'Brien, Ph.D., & Julie A. Daggett, Ph.D.

60 Social Situations and Discussion Starters to Help Teens on the Autism Spectrum Deal with Friendships, Feelings, Conflict and More

Making Sense of Social Situations

How to Run a Group-Based Intervention Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Albert J. Cotugno

Paperback: £19.99 /

 

Mothering Your Special Child

A Book for Mothers or Carers of Children Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

Josie Santomauro
Illustrated by Illustrated by Carla Marino

So your child has Asperger Syndrome (AS)? You might have noticed that some of his behaviour is a bit different to most kids. That he becomes stressed when faced with change, and he doesn't cope well with criticism or failure.
This book offers a fun and accessible introduction for the... more »

Answers to Questions Teachers Ask About Sensory Integration [Paperback]

Carol Stock Kranowitz (Author), Lynn Balzer-Martin (Author), Deanna Iris Sava (Author), Elizabeth Haber (Author), Stacey Szklut (Author) 

 

HSE - JUNE 2011 Report of the Working Group on Congregated Settings

 

HSE REPORT - Time to Move on from Congregated Settings - A Strategy for Community Inclusion.

Report of the Working Group on Congregated Settings
Health Service Executive
June 2011

COMMENTARY ON HSE REPORT:-

Homes for mentally disabled to close (Irish Times, 29th June)

Government needs to move on mentally disabled (Irish Times, 29th June)

Homes for 3,500 with disabilities branded 'horrible' (Irish Independent, 29th June)

How special? (Irish Times, 30th June)

Creating Change for Complex Children and their Families - A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Multi-Family Work

Interested in this book? - Contact Sheila. 

Edited by Jo Holmes, Amelia Oldfield
and Marion Polichroniadis
Foreword by Professor Ian Goodyer
The Croft Child and Family Unit is a residential psychiatric unit in Cambridgeshire, UK, that provides intensive assessment and treatment for children with mental health problems and their families. This book describes a multi-disciplinary, multi-family model of care that the Croft team have developed, and offers information and suggestions for all professionals working with children with complex needs.
Using detailed case studies to illustrate the model, this book focuses on the needs of children with a wide range of developmental, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and explores the complicated interactions between these children, their families and their communities. Based on the clinical experiences of working intensively with groups of families the team examines how to integrate multi-disciplinary interventions and how to use the powerful relationships that develop to enable families to achieve positive, lasting changes.
This book will be fascinating reading for trainees and professionals in health and social care and special need educationalists interested in the benefits of an intensive, multi-family approach to working with children and families who do not respond to standard community interventions.
June 2011, ISBN: 978-1-84310-965-5, 256 pages, paperback,
£24.99 / US$39.95.