The vision for the Disability Services Programme set out in the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services is: To contribute to the realisation of a society people with disabilities are supported, as far as possible, to participate to their full potential in economic and social life and have access to a range of quality personal social supports and services to enhance their quality of life and well‐being The implementation of that vision will have significant implications for the over 4,000 nurses who work in disability services, primarily in intellectual disability services. Three recommendations in particular will impact on the future role of nurses working in intellectual disability services: The HSE should begin the process of substituting non-professionally qualified care staff for professionally qualified care staff to achieve pay savings in the statutory and voluntary sectors. This will be consistent with the new person‐centred model envisaged as the future direction of disability policy [Recommendation 4.8, emphasis added] Responsibility for the care, safety and general well‐being of people who lack full mental capacity should be considered in the context of the increasing move from congregated residential settings to State‐supported independent living arrangements. The State’s responsibility in respect of the health needs of people with disabilities, and in particular those with intellectual disabilities, should be examined and clearly articulated [Recommendation 6.9, emphasis added] appropriate, clinical and therapy supports should be provided in a mainstream setting, i.e. provided by non‐disability‐specific providers. The precursor to this should be the establishment of the primary care network [Recommendation 7.12, emphasis added]
The vision for the Disability Services Programme set out in the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services is: To contribute to the realisation of a society people with disabilities are supported, as far as possible, to participate to their full potential in economic and social life and have access to a range of quality personal social supports and services to enhance their quality of life and well‐being The implementation of that vision will have significant implications for the over 4,000 nurses who work in disability services, primarily in intellectual disability services. Three recommendations in particular will impact on the future role of nurses working in intellectual disability services: The HSE should begin the process of substituting non-professionally qualified care staff for professionally qualified care staff to achieve pay savings in the statutory and voluntary sectors. This will be consistent with the new person‐centred model envisaged as the future direction of disability policy [Recommendation 4.8, emphasis added] Responsibility for the care, safety and general well‐being of people who lack full mental capacity should be considered in the context of the increasing move from congregated residential settings to State‐supported independent living arrangements. The State’s responsibility in respect of the health needs of people with disabilities, and in particular those with intellectual disabilities, should be examined and clearly articulated [Recommendation 6.9, emphasis added] appropriate, clinical and therapy supports should be provided in a mainstream setting, i.e. provided by non‐disability‐specific providers. The precursor to this should be the establishment of the primary care network [Recommendation 7.12, emphasis added]