The Joint Committee on Health, which examines the work of the Department of Health and analyses health policy and planning of health services, has issued a report on the New Standard Operating Procedure for Assessment of Need, with a particular focus on the importance of investing in early intervention services. A number of issues with current early intervention services are identified in the report, with the committee making a number of recommendations.
These include recommending employment of additional therapists, the importance of consultation with parents and therapists, and the need to reduce current waiting lists. As many of you know, these recommendations mirror the experiences of families of young children with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome Ireland welcomes the recommendations in the report and calls for the HSE and Department of Health to sufficiently invest in early intervention services for children with Down syndrome.
To access the full report, visit here.
