Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
693. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the regional allocation breakdown of the 12 additional Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse posts funded under Budget 2026, including the number allocated to each HSE Health Region. [41262/26]
View answer695. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the projected operational commencement date for SCAN services associated with each of the additional posts funded under Budget 2026. [41264/26]
View answer696. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a national implementation framework or governance structure exists for the expansion of the SCAN service and if so to provide details. [41265/26]
View answer698. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the key performance indicators, response targets, and outcome metrics which will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the SCAN expansion funded under Budget 2026. [41267/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos 693, 694, 696 and 698 together.
The SCAN service provides a short-term, specialist, community-based clinical response for individuals presenting in primary care with suicidal ideation or self-harm that does not require acute hospital intervention. SCAN operates as a defined pathway within the National Clinical Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide-Related Ideation (NCPSHI) and is aligned with national mental health policy, including Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life.
Data relating to self-harm and suicide-related ideation is supported by a Data Manager on the NCPSHI team.
The Model of Care for SCAN includes nationally agreed KPIs designed to support service consistency and quality. These include, among others:
• timely clinical assessment in line with the Model of Care
• development and provision of an individualised care plan
• communication of assessment outcomes to the referring GP
• follow-up contact with service users following assessment
• involvement of family members or a supportive adult, where appropriate
Performance against these indicators is monitored through programme governance structures. Consolidated national reporting on KPI performance will be included in the forthcoming national SCAN report.
Data governance and validation fall within the remit of the data management function of the NCP SHI. Nationally standardised SCAN data collection commenced in 2025.
SCAN posts recruited in 2026 will fall under the same framework of indicators and metrics as outlined above.
The additional 12 SCAN posts I have allocated this year are broken down as 2 x Traveller Youth SCAN, 2 x CAMHS SCAN and 8 x Adult SCAN. Regionally, they are allocated to HSE Dublin Midlands (6 posts), HSE South and West (2), HSE Midwest (2) and HSE North and North West (2). I have directed the HSE that posts should be assigned to counties that currently have no SCAN services.
Operational commencement of the posts is subject to HSE Regional recruitment processes, however I expect all posts to be recruited as swiftly as possible.
Expansion of SCAN services will take place under the framework of the Model of Care, subject to future estimates processes and aligned to our national policies Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life.
