Disability Federation of Ireland Newsletter Drumm Acknowledges
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Disability Federation of Ireland Newsletter An Advocate for the Voluntary Disability Sector. Supporting Organisations to Enable People with Disabilities February 2008 Drumm Acknowledges Voluntary Disability Sector Professor Drumm acknowledged at the HSE Leadership Event on 30th January 2008, the importance of deepening the contribution of the Voluntary Disability Sector to the Transformation Programme. In late 2006 the HSE set out its ‘Transformation Programme 2007 – 2010’ with its six transformation priorities: 1. Develop integrated services across all stages of the care journey. 2. Configure Primary, Community and Continuing Care services so that they deliver optimal and cost effective results. 3. Configure hospital services to deliver optimal and cost effective results. 4. Implement a model for the prevention and management of chronic illness. 5. Implement standards based performance measurement and management throughout the HSE. 6. Ensure all staff engage in transforming health and social care in Ireland. As noted in previous newsletters, DFI is engaging with the HSE in the Primary, Community and Continuing Care (PCCC) transformation priority. However, there are other areas that are very relevant to our sector, namely hospital services and the prevention and management of chronic illness. Professor Drumm speaking recently on the theme of ‘Towards an Integrated Health System or More of the Same’, while reflecting on the size and scale of activity within the Voluntary Disability Sector underlined the value of deepening the contribution of our sector in relation to the Transformation Programme. This is indeed welcome and DFI continues to promote the need for ongoing engagement between the HSE and the sector on the Transformation Programme. We are well aware of the deficiencies and inefficiencies in the current system which makes accessing the range of necessary services and supports difficult for our client groups. However our organisations have already developed a range of services and supports which are a rich resource to the Transformation Programme. We must now use this I N S I D E T H I S I SSUE as an opportunity to bring our experience to this area. It is important that at organisation level, we each give consideration Funding 9 to these Transformation objectives as they relate to our work. Any of our Support Officers will be happy to assist in doing this. Training 10 John Dolan General Notices 13 CEO 2 HSE Core Deficits In 2007 the HSE informed DFI that it would commence a validation exercise for physical and sensory disability organisations. The purpose of this exercise is to identify HSE core deficits in organisations. A similar exercise has been carried out with intellectual disability organisations in recent years. The HSE decided to commence the exercise with the following organisations: Brainwave, Headway, Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland, Muscular Dystrophy Ireland and Peter Bradley Foundation. …along with the members of the Not for Profit Business Association, which include the organisations: Central Remedial Clinic, Cheshire Ireland, Enable Ireland, Gandon Enterprises, Irish Wheelchair Association, Deafhear.ie (Formerly the National Association for Deaf People), National Learning Network, NCBI and RehabCare. The HSE has issued a template for compiling Core Deficits to the organisations and it has to be returned by 14th March 2008. DFI will be involved in progressing this round of validating Core Deficits and identifying how this could be expanded to include other organisations in our membership. DFI Meeting With HSE On the 31st January 2008 DFI attended its biannual meeting with Laverne McGuinness, National Director of PCCC in the HSE. Although on the day Ms. McGuinness was unable to attend this meeting, DFI did meet with Séamus McNulty and Ger Reaney. The issues discussed included Service Level Agreements, the HSE Co-Ordinating / Partnership structures, the implementations of the Complaints Process and National Standards for Services, core funding for voluntary disability organisations, as well as specifically addressing the Transformation Programme and alignment of Disability Services with the National Hospitals Office and Primary Care Teams (PCTs). Further meetings will be scheduled with the HSE on these and other topics throughout 2008. 3 HSE Service Plan 2008 The HSE published its National Service Plan in January 2008. The Plan outlines how the HSE will deliver the countries health and personal services during 2008. The main priorities of the Plan are to: Direct the provision of care away from acute settings where appropriate and towards services in the community For those who require care in acute settings, to provide service in line with best international standards, treating the maximum number of patients on a day case rather than an inpatient basis To deliver standards within their Vote and within their employment ceiling. The full report can be found on the HSE website www.hse.ie. HSE Staff Changes NHO Director Returns To Role As Advisor To CEO John O'Brien, National Director of the National Hospitals Office (NHO) is to revert to his previous role as an Advisor to the CEO. Ann Doherty, National Director, Corporate Planning & Control Processes has been reassigned to the NHO. Ann will be responsible for the overall governance and activities of the NHO. Ann will lead a senior cross discipline team to support the NHO Management Team in advancing the area of integrated care within and between directorates. The cross discipline team will include: Barry O'Brien, Assistant National Director, Human Resources Maureen Cronin, Assistant National Director, Finance Phil Shovlin, General Manager of the CEO's Office The team will be supported by PCCC and clinical expertise as required. Its primary focus will be on day to day operational matters, management, service and business processes issues (i.e. HR, Communications and Finance) and the application of resources. The work of the cross discipline team will include a review of the overall operation of the NHO in the context of the HSE's Transformation Programme and the development of the integrated model of care. Charities Bill 2007 Passes Committee Stage The third (Committee) Stage of the Charities Bill was completed in late January with a commitment from Minister Pat Carey to address a number of important outstanding issues and bring further amendments to the Daíl for the 4th Stage. Outstanding issues include: The definition of charitable purposes, particularly in relation to human rights and other purposes of benefit to the community Avoidance of dual filing for charities already subject to regulation by other charities e.g. Companies Registration Office. Effective regulation of charities without a legal presence in this country The “holding out” provisions relating to issues such as second-hand clothing collections and pre signed mass cards Enhancing the permit and fundraising provisions in the Bill. 4 The question of political causes and advocacy as a charitable purpose was also debated, with the Minister stating that the purpose of the current wording is to prohibit political organisations from registering as charities, not to prohibit charities to “engage in valid political work as a means of achieving its charitable aims”. It is envisaged that consultative panels, as provided for in the legislation, will be utilised for continuous consultation with the charities sector towards providing a supportive and advisory role in addition to the authority’s regulatory role. The Minister did not see a conflict for the Regulator acting as “Pal and Policeman” stating that this was needed as a large number of charities are very small and would require such support. He also stated that the Regulator “will not be the only source of advice or support to the sector. Independent umbrella bodies will continue to have a role and the Bill will not change that situation. There is also a commitment under Towards 2016 to assist the sector in this regard.” In response to concerns regarding the provision for the Regulator to charge fees, the Minister stated that it is not mandatory for the Regulator to do this and that it is envisaged that the regulator will be funded by the Exchequer. He assured deputies that “it would be entirely inconsistent with the supportive role of the regulator if any of the moneys donated to a charity were used for administrative purposes or charges associated with complying with the regulation.” Under consideration for reintroduction at the next Stage are some provisions that were made in the Heads of the Bill enabling trustees to indemnify themselves from personal liability using charitable assets and to allow them to receive remuneration for work undertaken that is not related to their role as a trustee. A number of amendments are under preparation on fundraising arising from the issues raised directly by the charities sector, including the intention to enhance the permit system within Section 81 to introduce a more equitable approach to issuing of permits for both cash and non cash methods of fundraising. The Bill does not change the current position on spontaneous collections, and the Minister is awaiting legal advice on addressing issues raised about Mass Card scams and bogus charity clothing collections. The Bill will now be referred back to the Dáil for Report Stage at a time to be decided by the Chief Whip. For further information please refer to the Oireachtas website which has a full transcript of the committee stage http://debates.oireachtas.ie or www.wheel.ie, www.ictr.ie. National Review of HSE Funded Adult Day Services 2007 / 8 In October 2005, the HSE commenced a National Review of Sheltered Services for people with disabilities. This was initiated by the HSE as part of its obligations under Equality Legislation and the Disability Act. The purpose of that Review was to obtain information on all aspects of Sheltered Services, including establishing a listing of services by location, capacity and occupational activities.