Written Answer Nos. 239-249
239. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the saving that would be achieved from improving the occupancy of existing designated private beds in public hospitals to 70% and respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50708/12]
View answer240. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the saving that would be achieved from ending the practice of private patients of consultants being accommodated in public beds free of charge to private health insurance companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50709/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together.
The principle underlying the 1991 eligibility framework is that patients opting for private consultant care should in general be accommodated in private or semi-private beds. However, an overriding principle is that emergency cases should be admitted to whatever bed is available, regardless of the public or private status of the patient or the bed.
Under the current legal framework, private in-patients who occupy public beds in public hospitals are not levied the daily maintenance charge, which ranges from €586 to €1,046. The Comptroller and Auditor General reported in 2010 that 45% of in-patients treated privately by their consultants were not charged for their maintenance costs because they were not occupying designated private beds in public hospitals. As part of Budget 2012, I announced my intention to bring forward legislation to provide for the charging of all private patients in public hospitals, irrespective of whether they occupied a public or a private bed. In doing so, I was conscious of the significant potential cost implications for private health insurers. In discussions with the insurers, I indicated that I was prepared to postpone implementation of the legislation until 2013 provided that the funds targeted in Budget 2012 for the current year could be raised through a system of improved cashflow. I am pleased to say that this process is nearing completion.
A range of factors will impact on any revenue estimates which will require further consideration. These factors could include the number of patients treated as over-night or day cases, type of accommodation provided, e.g. private or semi private; rates of private patient charges, the proportion of patients electing to be treated privately with private health insurance and, the proportion of patients presenting through A&E Departments that necessitate private accommodation.
Currently, my Department is considering a number of issues and implications relating to the proposed legislation in advance of bringing the matter to Government for decision.
241. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of staff and associated payroll costs for Health Service Executive staff on management and administrative grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50710/12]
View answerThe Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. The part of the question pertaining to payroll costs has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
The number of staff in the Management & Admin staff category is as follows:
|
. |
31/12/2011 |
30/09/2012 |
|
Management & Admin (WTE) |
15,983 |
15,696 |
242. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the savings that would be achieved from transferring responsibility for administration of seasonal 'flu vaccine to community pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50711/12]
View answerThere are no plans to transfer responsibility for administration of seasonal flu vaccine to community pharmacists. Seasonal Flu vaccination forms part of the Adult Immunisation Programme operated by the HSE. Seasonal Flu vaccination is available every year as the vaccine changes every year to suit the strain of the circulating virus. The vaccine is free to those in at risk groups. Those aged 18 years or older in the medically at risk groups may attend either their GP or participating pharmacist for vaccination as they so chose. Those medically at risk aged under 18 years should attend their GP for seasonal flu vaccination.
243. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the savings that would be achieved from excluding households with an income greater than €100,000 from making a claim under the drug payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50712/12]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department or the HSE. The Drug Payment Scheme is not means-tested and anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland can apply to join the Scheme, regardless of financial circumstances.
244. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Health the number of companies that are engaged by the Health Service Executive for the provision of home help services; if the HSE maintains a list of eligible companies; if the HSE supports Irish small and medium enterprises; the way this policy fits with the Government's Action Plan for Jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50723/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
245. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Health his views on the ongoing delays home helps are experiencing in being vetted by An Garda Síochána; the efforts being made to tackle this delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50724/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
246. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Health if he intends to make home help services and companies subject to investigation by the Health Information and Quality Authority; the standards or legislative requirements that must be met by companies offering home help services; his views on the profits being made in this sector; the minimum wage that must be paid to those providing home help services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50725/12]
View answerAll relevant implications arising from this proposal will obviously have to be taken into account including, for example, recent reports by the Law Reform Commission in relation to various aspects of professional Home Care and Carers in general.
Primary legislation and resources will be required for the introduction of a statutory regulation system for home care services. The question of possible changes to legislation, including regulation and inspection, for Home Care services for older people is at present under consideration. The Department is examining this matter in the overall context of the licensing of Health Care providers. Legislation is currently being prepared and various options are being considered, including the complex legal issues involved, and the need to prioritise legislation across the Social Care area overall.
Statutory regulation or licensing is only one way of improving the safety and quality of services and that other measures have or are being taken to improve Home Support services delivered by, or on behalf of, the Health Service Executive (HSE). This approach is reflected in the HSE Service Plan 2012, and includes a new public Procurement Framework for Home Care services (with quality and screening requirements); new National Quality Guidelines for Home Support Services, and new National Home Help Guidelines . These various measures, taken together, have been designed to improve relevant aspects of HSE Home Care provision nationally, pending progression of the legislative proposals raised by the Deputy. In particular, non-statutory agencies at present providing Home Care on behalf of the HSE must comply with the criteria laid down under the current procurement arrangements including, for example, service level agreements.
The Deputy will be aware that, outside of the existing procurement arrangements that the HSE has with certain non-statutory providers, these providers, or others, may compete in a growing sector in relation to Home Care for Older People. Such companies would obviously be subject to the normal requirements governing the operation of business, including those governing profits and minimum wage.
247. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if the review of the provision of home help and home support packages in counties Louth and Meath has been completed; the number of hours of home care supports that have been cut as a result of this review; if he will provide a breakdown of the home help hours or home support packages that have been cut as a result of this review; if he will provide a comparison of the amount of home care packages and home help hours provided in counties Louth and Meath in 2011 and the number currently being provided following the completion of the review [50730/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
248. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be called for medical treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50731/12]
View answerThe management of waiting lists for patients awaiting public health care is based on the principle that after urgent and cancer patients are treated, then clinically assessed routine patients should be seen in chronological order (i.e. longest waiter first).
Should the patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
249. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 193 of 11 October 2012, if he is now in a position to provide a comparative assessment of the staffing levels in each of the hospitals in the Louth-Meath hospitals 2011 with current staffing levels in the hospitals following recent cuts to agency and overtime staffing. [50732/12]
View answerThe Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction.
A comparative assessment of staffing levels is a matter for the HSE, and as such, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
