Minister addresses concerns over disability services initiative during visit to Cork

Disabilities Minister Anne Rabbitte has responded to worries about cracks in the Progressing Disability Services (PDS) programme following grave concerns expressed by Cork families about its rollout.

Ms Rabbitte addressed the issue on a trip to Cork this week which saw her visit Carrigaline Community Special School, St Paul’s Special School in Montenotte, the Crann Centre in Ballincollig and the Rainbow Club in Mahon.

Her visit comes weeks after the publication of a survey conducted by Families Unite for Services and Support (Fuss). 

Fuss survey

The anonymous survey of parents, carers, guardians, and PDS and private clinicians sought to offer a window into experiences of children’s services in Ireland. The data was collected between April 28 and May 3.

A total of 97% who took part in the Fuss survey identified staff recruitment and retention as a vital threat to the success of service provision.

Some 45% agreed that staff pay and conditions play a major role in the inability of PDS to retain its current staff and entice more to join the workforce.

Meanwhile, 80% of respondents felt that the PDS model and subsequent reconfiguration have failed while 16% remained unsure.

The report aimed to shed light on the outcomes of re-configuration on children’s disability network teams (CDNTs) and primary care teams in addition to the positive and negative changes for families.

Minister acknowledges challenges 

Ms Rabbitte acknowledged the challenges that exist within the current system.

“It took them 12 years to get to the roll out of it,” said Ms Rabbitte about PDS. “It wasn’t like it was done fast.

“PDS has been designed since 2009. It was started in 2020 before I became a minister. 

“They had trialled it three years before that in the mid-west. 

“They had trialled it in West Cork with CoAction and the reports back then were that this model was the integrated model of care that was required with a multidisciplinary team.

“I do believe a multidisciplinary team is a good way of approaching and supporting children with complex needs. I also believe that equity of access is the fundamental piece of PDS.”

She put some of the initiative’s shortfalls down to a lack of planning.

“Unfortunately, there was a lot of talking done for 10 years and not enough planning as to how the model would roll out.

“PDS is made up of section 38, section 39 of the HSE, it’s not just one cohort. Disability services are difficult to work in. 

“There is no denying that. Recruitment has been difficult and pay and conditions are a part of that. 

“Disabilities teams at the moment are not an attractive model because the service isn’t working. 

“We need to attract people in but pay and conditions are issues we need to address.”

She also referenced residential care for children.

“Equitable access to respite for all children going into residential care needs to be a priority. 

“There are children in Cork and the only residential care they are able to source is from Meath or Roscommon, which is very wrong. 

“Their families are here.

“We need to be able to support children as close to home as possible. 

“I don’t think it’s right that children should have to go to Meath to get support even if it is for a need like residential care.”

Funding for Crann Centre and the Rainbow Club

Ms Rabbitte also announced funding for a specialist community continence clinic located in the Crann Centre, Ballincollig.

Funding of €170,000 was allocated to the facility which is now funded by the HSE and provides a range of supports to children, adults, and families living with a neuro-physical disability.

This includes people with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, childhood stroke, and spinal cord injuries.

This specialist clinic will be accessible to children on CDNTs in the Cork Kerry Community Healthcare area.

Ms Rabbitte praised the Crann Centre.

“I am very pleased to be able to support the expansion of the clinic at the Crann Centre, which I know already helps a number of families in the area. 

“Having visited the Crann Centre previously, I have seen firsthand how it is an example of one of the many great pioneering voluntary services around the country that make such an important contribution to the lives of people with disabilities.”

She highlighted the positive long-term impact of such investments.

“Parents have spoken about how invaluable this service is for their children, and the difference it makes to their families. 

“It’s important to show support for such programmes so we can have more specialist services being accessible in the community rather than in a clinical setting. This, in turn, can reduce the pressures that would otherwise be on the clinical services.

“This funding for the continence clinic makes life easier for families and I hope that this service will also lead to better physical health, independence, and quality of life for many.”

The minister also allocated €292,000 worth of funding to the Rainbow Club in Cork which offers supports to children with autism and their families.