Citizens Information Board General Collection
http://hdl.handle.net/2262/93247
2024-03-28T11:16:29ZPrimary Care Reimbursement Service Strategic Plan 2019-2021 : submission by the Citizens Information Board
http://hdl.handle.net/2262/93406
Primary Care Reimbursement Service Strategic Plan 2019-2021 : submission by the Citizens Information Board
The Citizens Information Board (CIB) welcomes the invitation to make a submission to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) on its Draft Strategic Plan 2019-2021. Given the very significant scale and reach of the services managed by the PCRS, the PCRS Strategy is obviously very significant in terms of access to health services.
The Submission draws on the experiences of the countrywide network of Citizens Information Services (CISs) and the national Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS) in dealing with queries from the public 1relating to matters which come under the remit of the PCRS. Such queries primarily concern eligibility matters relating to Medical Cards2 and GP Visit Cards but some also refer to the Drugs Repayment Scheme, some to the Long Term Illness Scheme (LTI). A small number of queries refer to difficulties in finding a GP under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. Health service entitlement for EU citizens and EEA nationals are also the subject of some queries. Queries relating to the retention of a Medical Card by people taking up work, and more recently retention for people with disabilities as a result of the Make Work Pay recommendations, feature strongly. Making health care related complaints and identifying appropriate redress channels also feature regularly in queries. The latter is likely to become a more central feature in CIB service delivery in the coming years as the National Advocacy Service (NAS) for people with disabilities, which comes under the remit of the CIB, has been tasked by the Department of Health with establishing and running the Patient Safety Advocacy Service.
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZPathways to Work Strategy 2020-2024 : submission by the Citizens Information Board
http://hdl.handle.net/2262/93405
Pathways to Work Strategy 2020-2024 : submission by the Citizens Information Board
The Citizens Information Board (CIB) welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) in respect of the Pathways to
Work Strategy 2020-2024. The Submission is based primarily on feedback from Citizens Information Services (CISs) and the Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS) arising from queries from people seeking to transition from welfare to work. Citizens Information Services dealt with over a million queries in 2018, almost 45% of which were social welfare related. These included 50,000 jobseeker payment queries, 24,236 Working Family Payment queries and a further 11,400 activation scheme queries. CISs are likely to be the first port of call for many people seeking information about services and may be a ‘last resort’ for others who feel that they have exhausted all other avenues. Whereas Intreo is focused primarily on matching people with available work opportunities and enabling them to develop skills accordingly, CISs help people resolve logistical issues that may equally pose a barrier to either entering the labour force or taking up employment/training opportunities, e.g., housing, transport, child care, care of dependent older persons or people with disabilities, all of which can prevent people from entering employment.
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZConsultation on the development of a National Volunteering Strategy : response by the Citizens Information Board to the Department of Rural and Community Development’s call for input
http://hdl.handle.net/2262/93404
Consultation on the development of a National Volunteering Strategy : response by the Citizens Information Board to the Department of Rural and Community Development’s call for input
2019-02-01T00:00:00ZConsultation on draft National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland 2019-2022 : Citizens Information Board response to the Department of Rural and Community Development consultation.
http://hdl.handle.net/2262/93403
Consultation on draft National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland 2019-2022 : Citizens Information Board response to the Department of Rural and Community Development consultation.
The Citizens Information Board (CIB) welcomes the development by Government, led by the Department of Rural and Community Development, of a National Social Enterprise Policy. Such a policy is clearly necessary in order to optimise the potential contribution of individuals, groups and local communities in ensuring both better quality services and best use of available resources. CIB has an interest in social enterprise for a number of reasons. Firstly, the availability of quality public services is a key concern for many of the people who use our services – Citizens Information Services (CISs), Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) and the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS). Secondly, CIB was actively involved in the establishment of the personal micro-credit initiative (‘It Makes Sense’ loans) in conjunction with the Social Finance Foundation. Thirdly, CIB has a strong commitment to social inclusion and developing the potential of local communities in that regard. We see the promotion of social enterprise as an integral part of government support for the voluntary and community sector which is a core component of our service delivery infrastructure. We welcome the inclusion of a national social enterprise policy as part of a suite of measures for the development of the voluntary and community sector.
2019-01-01T00:00:00Z