National Disability Strategy Stakeholders Monitoring Group
The implementation of the National Disability Strategy is the agreed focus of disability policy under the Social Partnership Agreement Towards 2016. Commitment 33.4 of this agreement provides for the establishment of a National Disability Strategy Stakeholders Monitoring Group to monitor the progress of the National Disability Strategy and the arrangements to ensure a continued constructive relationship with all the stakeholders. The National Federation is one of the stakeholder groups participating in the Monitoring Group and the following groups are also represented:
The stakeholders group is also comprised of senior officials from the six Government Departments with sectoral plans plus the Departments of Finance, Education & Science and Justice, Equality & Law Reform.
The National Health Consultative Forum
The National Health Consultative Forum is comprised of representatives from senior public and private hospital management, a wide range of health professionals, academic institutions, voluntary and community groups, advocacy groups, professional representative bodies, trade unions and relevant Government departments.
- The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies will be represented in the Forum in 2009 by John O’Dea, Chairperson and Brian O’Donnell, Chief Executive.
- The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies will highlight issues of concern and examples of innovative solutions to complex challenges within intellectual disability services at the Forum.
The theme for the 2008 Forum was: Best practice in change programmes having particular regard to the move from hospital to community based health services, incorporating current thinking on innovative practices and flexible working ways. The report from the 2008 Forum is available here.
Resource Allocation and Financing the Health & Social Care Sector Expert Group
On 1st April, 2009, Ms. Mary Harney, T.D., Minister for Health & Children, announced the establishment of an Expert Group on Resource Allocation in the Health Sector. The Expert Group will examine how the existing system of resource allocation within the Irish Public Health Service can be improved to support better the aims of the Health Reform Programme.
The Terms of Reference of the Expert Group are:
- To analyse the strengths & weaknesses of the current resource allocation arrangements for health and personal social services;
- To recommend appropriate changes in these arrangements, which would support and incentivise the achievement of the core objectives of the Health Reform Programme;
- In the light of its work, to take a view on the most appropriate financing mechanism for the Irish Health Service; and
- To base its examination and recommendations on the existing quantum of public funding for health.
The Group has been asked to report to the Minister for Health & Children and the Minister for Finance by April 2010.
Brendan Broderick, Sisters of Charity of Jesus & Mary, has been invited to represent the Non-Statutory Disability Sector on the Expert Group.