From Department of Health
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The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD and the Minister of State for Disability, Anne Rabbitte TD have welcomed the news that St John of God Community Services clg has agreed with the HSE that it will defer notice of its proposed exit from service provision on 1 October 2021.
Minister Donnelly said:
"Saint John of God Community Services is a valued provider of disability and mental health services and supports for the State. I very much welcome the agreement by St John of God Community Services to engage in a sustainability impact assessment which will provide a basis for the organisation to continue its important service delivery role in line with a reformed model of care. This decision will avoid the disruption of key services for service users and their families.
"We owe it to our service users to do all we can to ensure that our services are delivered in line with strong governance mechanisms in a cost effective and equitable manner consistent with care and support needs. I believe this process provides a way forward for both organisations to strengthen and enhance these crucial services."
Minister Rabbitte said:
"I am delighted that the HSE and St John of God Community Services have reached agreement on a process which aims to ensure the financial stability and sustainability and improved governance of the vital disability and mental health services provided across the country by St John of God Community Services."
Minister Rabbitte continued:
"After months of uncertainty, I know that the service users and their families and friends will be relieved, as I am, to hear of the agreement between both organisations. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the HSE and St John of God Community Services for their continued work over the past year to reach agreement on a process which will protect the continuity of vital disability and mental health services."
Saint John of God Community Services (SJOGCS) is a legal entity within the St John of God Hospitaller Services Group, which is funded under Section 38 of the Health Act 2004 to provide services on behalf of the HSE to over 2,400 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in CHO Areas 4,6,7 & 8.
It is the second largest provider of disability services in the state and operates 93 residential centres which are registered with HIQA.
SJOGCS also provides mental health services and supports through Cluain Mhuire Community Health Services on behalf of the HSE in CHO Areas 6 and 7.
In 2020, SGJOGCS served the HSE with 12 months’ notice of its intention to transfer responsibility for providing disability and mental health services under its Section 38 arrangement to the State by 1 October 2021.
The HSE has been engaging intensively with SJOGCS on a mutually acceptable twin track approach to allow for SJOGCS to continue to provide services and ‘pause’ the notice of intent to exit the provision of services, while at the same time maintaining work on a transition plan for the orderly transfer of services to the HSE.
The HSE and SJOGCS have now agreed to participate in a Sustainability Impact Assessment over the next 18 months. The core objective of the assessment is to provide SJOGCS with a pathway to financial and operational sustainability and enable the organisation to remain in service provision on the basis of a reformed model of care.
Agreement to participation in the Sustainability Impact Assessment provides a basis for SJOGCS to defer notice of its intention to exit service provision on 1 October 2021 and to avoid disruption for service users.