Written Answers Nos. 233-242
235. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the way in which a person with significant health issues who held a discretionary medical card for several years could have had that card withdrawn in circumstances when his household income had in fact declined and his medical condition had not improved if in fact the guidelines for discretionary cards remain, as stated by him unchanged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7711/13]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Health Act 1970, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive (HSE) unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. Assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and reasonable expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants.
There is also provision for discretion by the HSE to grant a card in cases of "undue hardship" where the income guidelines are exceeded. Such cases are decided by a qualified Medical Officer. Medical expenses are taken into account when assessing an application on hardship grounds.
The HSE has produced national assessment guidelines to provide a clear framework to assist in the making of reasonable, consistent and equitable decisions when assessing an applicant for the General Medical Services scheme. These guidelines are publicly available and can be downloaded from the HSE's medical card website.
If an individual is not satisfied with a decision made by the HSE concerning an entitlement to a medical card or GP visit card, a person has a right of appeal to the HSE Appeals Officer. An appeal must be lodged by the applicant within twenty-one days of the decision.
236. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) was only awarded a general practitioners card on foot of an application for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7712/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
237. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will supply in tabular format the number of persons waiting for elective or planned procedures in hospitals here for less than three months, more than three and less than six months, more than six and less than nine months, more than nine and less than 12 months, more than 12 months, at the end of 2010, 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7714/13]
View answerIn July 2011, I announced the establishment of the Special Delivery Unit as a key part of my plans to radically reform the health system in Ireland. The Unit’s purpose is to improve access to the emergency and elective care system. Since it was established last year, it has been working to unblock public access to acute services by improving patient journeys through the system and by streamlining public hospital waiting lists, I am pleased to be able to say that very significant progress has been made by the SDU in relation to both emergency departments and waiting lists.
Scheduled care – in-patient and daycase. The initial focus for the SDU's Scheduled Care Team has been on waiting times for in-patient and daycase elective surgery. By the end of December 2012, the number of adults having to wait more than 9 months for inpatient and day case surgery was down to 86 from 3,706 in December 2011, a 98% decrease. The number of children waiting over 20 weeks for inpatient or daycase surgery was down to 89 from 1,759 in December 2011, a 95% decrease. The number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a routine endoscopy procedure went down from 4,590 in December 2011 to 36 at the end of December 2012, a 99% decrease.
Outpatient services. Improving access to outpatient services is also a priority for the Government and for the SDU Scheduled Care Team. Building on work already undertaken by the HSE, the NTPF has now taken over the reporting of outpatient waiting time data. For the first time, clear and comprehensive data is available on www.ptr.ie. The data now being collected will allow the SDU and NTPF to target their resources towards those patients who are waiting longest and ensure that they are seen and assessed. A maximum waiting time target has now been set of 12 months for a first time outpatient appointment by 30 November 2013.
In the coming months, as winter pressures in Emergency Departments ease, the SDU will work towards re-balancing scheduled care to maintain the improvements seen in 2012 and to achieve the new 2013 target that no adult should be waiting > 8 months for in patient and day case surgery.
These significant improvements in access and experience are being achieved despite the economic and budgetary pressures which must be dealt with and managed. They reflect my commitment, and that of this Government, to ensuring patients can access the acute hospital services they need, when they need them
The HSE publishes monthly performance reports on their website. These reports include information on impatient and daycase waiting lists for adults and children, broken down by hospital and region. The monthly performance reports can be accessed via this link:
http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/corporate/performancereports
The latest report available is for December 2012.
In relation to your request for data detailing the numbers of patients waiting for elective procedures over the last three years, I have forwarded your question to the HSE who will respond to you directly in this regard.
238. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in the opening of the new emergency department at the Mater Hospital, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7736/13]
View answer239. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he or his Department have intervened in the matter of the failure of the new emergency department at the Mater Hospital, Dublin, to open; if so, if he will provide details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7737/13]
View answer240. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that additional resources are provided to the Mater Hospital, Dublin, to allow them to opening the new emergency department; if so, if he will detail these resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7738/13]
View answer241. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a new date for the opening of the new emergency department at the Mater Hospital, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7739/13]
View answer242. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that there is no interruption to the provision of emergency services to the inner city when the relocation of the emergency department at the Mater Hospital, Dublin, takes place unlike the previous scheduled closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7740/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 238 to 242, inclusive, together.
The Special Delivery Unit (SDU), has been working closely with the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) on improving trolley waits and patient experience. The provision of a new Emergency Department, as well as a new Acute Medicine Unit, combined with the recruitment of additional consultants in Acute Medicine, represents a significant investment and is at the forefront of hospital’s plan to address trolley waits and emergency department overcrowding through the increased presence of senior decision makers, enhanced clinical leadership, changing work practices and improved infrastructure.
The MMUH is undertaking the most significant transformative reform programme in its history. This includes the migration of a significant part of the existing clinical services (including a new Emergency Department and Acute Medical Unit) to a new building, the implementation of the national clinical care programmes and other internal reforms that will enable the hospital to meet existing challenges in terms of changing medical practice and lay the foundations for a sustainable future. Many of these changes have regional significance and are reflective of a change in the wider health economy.
I understand that the Executive management team in MMUH have been working with all relevant stakeholders in the region (hospitals, GPs, Gardai, Ambulance service ) to ensure a robust plan is in place to give effect to the Emergency Department move which is now scheduled to take place next Sunday, 17th February 2013.A move of this magnitude of necessity involves careful and prudent planning to minimise disruption. The Special Delivery Unithas been working closely with MMUH and the region (which includes the network of hospitals) to give effect to the transition to the new Emergency Department. These changes will allow for a much enhanced infrastructure to support the delivery of more efficient and effective care for patients presenting at the hospital .
