Finian McGrath
Question:294. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support efforts for a patients' forum at Beaumont Hospital Dublin 9. [45225/12]
View answerPatients Forums
Questions (294)
Written answers
I am not aware of any correspondence in relation to the proposed forum referred to by the Deputy but if the group concerned wish to submit proposals to my office they will be considered.
Hospital Appointments Administration
Questions (295)
Tom Fleming
Question:295. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange an appointment at the earliest possible date in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45247/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Thalidomide Victims Compensation
Questions (296)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:296. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health in view of his engagement with the survivors of Thalidomide, the progress that has been made with regard to the appointment and training of a multi disciplinary team, arranging a multi disciplinary health evaluation, identifying and documenting the healthcare needs and issues, develop plans to address healthcare needs and issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45257/12]
View answerWritten answers
I have met with both the Irish Thalidomide Association and the Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society.
My Department has been in discussions with Dr. Paul O'Connell, Consultant Rheumatologist at Beaumont Hospital and Carmel Buckley, Health Service Executive Nurse Liaison, with regard to developing a health care assessment process for survivors of thalidomide living in Ireland. An element of this process will be Dr O'Connell and a multidisciplinary team developing links and clinical training with a centre of excellence in Europe.
However, the Irish Thalidomide Association has stated that it is unwilling to engage with me on the basis I put forward and has submitted 17 personal injury claims which are under consideration by the State Claims Agency. In addition a number of issues raised by the Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society (ITSS) are unfortunately outside the remit of the Department of Health. I have requested the ITSS, in good faith, to continue to engage and participate in the health care assessment process, so as to assist the Health Service Executive in addressing the future health care needs of thalidomide survivors living in Ireland.
General Practitioner Services
Questions (297)
Arthur Spring
Question:297. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health his plans for the SouthDoc service in County Kerry in view of the financial difficulty that has recently been highlighted in the media as well as the 2007 cuts to overall funding for the service and the 2009 10% pay cut to workers in the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45265/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (298, 304)
Regina Doherty
Question:298. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the way the Expert Medical Group on Whooping Cough Vaccination set up in 1984 by the them Minister Mr. Barry Desmond TD arrived at its decision of reasonable doubt where symptoms of persistent screaming, collapse, convulsions, infantile spasms, paralyses and development of mental retardation were present in a child (details supplied), after their vaccination in 1976; the way that expert group concluded that their disability was not caused by their vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45273/12]
View answerRegina Doherty
Question:304. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reasonable doubt as determined in the case of a person (details supplied) on examination by the expert group on whooping cough vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45305/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 304 together.
In November 1977 the then Minister for Health established the Expert Medical Group on Whooping Cough Vaccination to
- Examine persons who, it was claimed, had been permanently damaged by whooping cough vaccination,
- Review the medical information available in relation to them and
- Indicate whether, in its opinion, the damage was attributable to the vaccination.
The Expert Group reviewed all the cases that came before it and is no longer sitting.
The Expert Medical Group on Whooping Cough Vaccination interviewed the parents of the individual named and examined the then child on 07 June 1983. The Group also reviewed medical reports from Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and a paediatrician from Hammersmith Hospital, London. The opinion of the Group was that "brain damage which is manifested by mental handicap and epilepsy, is the result of difficulties during delivery and it is not due to whooping cough vaccination. We find no evidence that the condition was made worse by the vaccination." All of the papers in relation to the Expert Group in this case were requested and provided to the family under the Freedom of Information Acts in January 1999.
HSE Funding
Questions (299)
Finian McGrath
Question:299. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding cuts in respect of an organisation (details supplied). [45274/12]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Medical Records
Questions (300, 302)
Regina Doherty
Question:300. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason access to the medical records of a person (details supplied) complied during their stay at the Health Service Executive, Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary have been refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45275/12]
View answerRegina Doherty
Question:302. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the services that were provided to a person (details supplied) from the Health Service Executive Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, Delvin County Westmeath during their stay there from November 1981 to June 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45283/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 302 together.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (301, 305)
Regina Doherty
Question:301. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the position regarding legislation to provide a no fault vaccine injury compensation scheme as recommended in the Joint Oireachtas Committee Report on Childhood Immunisation dated July 2001; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45282/12]
View answerRegina Doherty
Question:305. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health when the ex gratia payment scheme as recommended in the final draft report of the Vaccine Damage Steering Group, June 2009, will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45306/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 305 together.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee Report on Childhood Immunisation dated July 2001 made over 18 recommendations in relation to the development of vaccination services for children in Ireland. Since that time the majority of the recommendations made in the report have been addressed and implemented. In relation to the recommendation regarding a no fault vaccine damage compensation scheme my Department convened an expert group to examine this issue. The report from this Group was made in June 2009 and is available on my Department's website. This report is under active consideration by my Department. However, this issue is complex and needs to be considered in the wider context of how best to address the long term health and social needs of people who may have experienced adverse outcomes from other health services.
Question No. 302 answered with Question No. 300.
Consultancy Contracts Issues
Questions (303)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:303. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details in tabular form for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 the total amount of expenditure on consultancy by his Department, any body under his aegis or State agency for which he has responsibility; the names of the consultancy companies awarded contracts; the nature of the work concerned; the fees paid to each consultant; if the matter was advertised for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45299/12]
View answerWritten answers
The information regarding my Department and agencies for which I have responsibility, is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. The element of the question relating to Health Service Executive expenditure on consultancy services has been referred to the Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.