The HSE Service Plan, which has been approved by Minister for Health Dr. James O'Reilly, was published today. (http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/corporate/nsp2012.pdf)

The Service Plan indicates a 3.7% reduction in funding allocation for disability services.

Details from the Service Plan relating to disability services are set out below: 

Disability
A major change programme for disability services in Ireland has commenced in recent years with a move towards a community-based and inclusive model rather than being institutional and segregated. This process is now gathering momentum. The emerging Department of Health policy direction (Value for Money and Policy Review) will provide the framework within which the constituent parts of the overall change programme will be developed and driven. In 2012, realising this vision will be driven by the increasing need to maximise the value of the reduced funding. The allocation for disability services will reduce in 2012 by 3.7% as a consequence of the impact of the efficiency, procurement and targeted pay reduction savings. In addition, disability services will be required to cater for demographic pressures, such as new services for school leavers and emergency residential placements, from within their existing budgets.

While the allocation will reduce by 3.7% nationally, there is scope for achieving efficiencies of 2% or more through measures such as consolidation and rationalisation of back office costs. Some providers have made significant progress in this regard in recent years but considerable scope for savings remains in the case of others. All providers will be expected to achieve some efficiency savings but the level of savings will vary depending on the profile of the service provider, efficiency savings achieved to date and the scope for further savings. HSE managers will have the scope, within the national figure of 3.7%, to vary the level of reduction which will apply to individual service providers. The HSE will work closely with the Department in finalising the allocations.

Some reductions in services will be unavoidable even with such efficiencies. These will arise in day services, residential and respite services. The aim will be to tailor such reductions in a way which minimises the impact on service users and their families as much as possible. There is evidence that an accelerated move towards a new model of individualised, person centred service provision in the community can help to achieve efficiencies, particularly in relation to services for those with mild or moderate intellectual disability.

Provision has been made for investment of €1m for autism services. This will be used to address waiting times for specialist therapy services for children who have been diagnosed with autism and on developing Early Intervention Teams.