Written Answers Nos. 262-272
262. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23477/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has recently reissued to Oireachtas members.
263. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Health the reason Cherry Ward in James Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 has been closed from 3 of May 2013 [23485/13]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
Questions Nos. 264 and 265 answered with Question No. 253.
266. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if EuroPsy, the European standard of education and professional training in psychology set by the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations is recognised here; if he will outline the way an EU psychologist accesses this recognition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23497/13]
View answerThe Minister for Health is the Competent Authority for the recognition under Directive 2005/36/EC, of non-Irish professional qualifications of certain categories of health and social care professions for the purpose of recruitment to the publicly funded health sector in Ireland.
Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications, applies to all EEA nationals wishing to practise a regulated profession in an EU Member State other than that in which they obtained their professional qualifications, on either a self-employed or employed basis. Its intention is to make it easier for certain professionals to practise their professions in European countries other than their own but due safeguards are provided in the assessment of the qualifications for public health and safety and consumer protection. In certain circumstances, non-EEA nationals who are legally resident in Ireland can benefit from the provisions of the Directive.
For the purpose of the Directive, a regulated profession is defined as a professional activity access to which is subject, directly or indirectly, by virtue of legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions to the possession of specific professional qualifications. Where statutory registration does not exist for a profession in Ireland, as is the case with Psychology at present, non-Irish qualifications are assessed for their equivalence to the Irish entry-level qualifications required to work in the public health sector.
The Directive provides for mutual recognition of qualifications for certain professions. In the case of the health and social care professions, the Directive does not provide for automatic recognition of professional qualifications obtained in another Member State; it provides for an assessment, on a case-by-case basis, of the qualifications of an applicant against those required to practise in the host member state. If the activities covered by the profession in the home and the host member state are not comparable but deficits in the qualifications are identified, subsequent post-qualification professional experience of the applicant must be considered. If deficits still remain, the host Member State must offer an applicant a compensation measure, a choice of completing an adaptation period or taking an aptitude test.
EuroPsy the European standard of education and professional training in psychology set by the European Federation of Psychologists’ Association can form part of an individual’s application for assessment of qualification for equivalence to the Irish entry-level qualification required to work as a psychologist in the public health sector.
267. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health when the acute mental health admissions unit in Beaumont Hospital will be fully operational. [23515/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
268. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has secured the rights to the National Health Service/PICKER acute hospital and maternity patient in-patient survey tools and if the PICKER tool will now be used by the Health Service Executive; and the reason for the decision to use this tool instead of continuing to rely on information gathered by independent patient organisations such as the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare [23518/13]
View answerDiscussions in relation to the funding of the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare (ISQSH are proper to the Health Service Executive (HSE), as is appropriate to its holding of the Health Vote.
I have arranged to have the Deputy's questions referred to the HSE for attention and a more detailed response.
269. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding free general practitioner visit cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23532/13]
View answerThe Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees within its first term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. This policy constitutes a fundamental element in the Government’s health reform programme. There has been no change to the Government’s over-arching commitment to this goal. This Government is the first in the history of this State to have committed itself to implementing a universal GP service for the entire population.
Having examined the progress made in the universal GP care plan, it became clear that the legal and administrative framework required to provide a robust basis for eligibility for a GP service based on having a particular medical condition is likely to be overly complex and bureaucratic for a short-term arrangement. Relatively complex primary legislation would be required in order to provide a GP service to a person on the basis of their having a particular illness. The assessment system for such an approach would have to be robust, objective and auditable in order to have the confidence of this House as well as the general public. This legislation would have to address how a person could be certified as having such an illness, and who could do this, and how to select the diagnostic basis for medical conditions. As well as primary legislation, there would be a need for secondary legislation to give full effect to this approach for each condition. While it would not be impossible to achieve this, it would take several months more to finalise the primary legislation, followed then by the preparation of statutory instruments. In my view, this would entail putting in place a cumbersome legal and administrative infrastructure to deal with what is only a temporary first phase on the way to universal GP service to the entire population.
The Cabinet Committee on Health has discussed the issues relating to the delay in the initial step of the roll-out of the universal GP service. In doing so, it has considered the importance of weighing the balance between, on the one hand, resolving the legal issues but with a further delay and, on the other hand, with the need to bring forward an important Programme for Government commitment with the minimum of further delay.
No decision has been taken by the Cabinet Committee or by Government on changing the first step of the plan to extend GP care without fees to persons with chronic illnesses. Instead, it has been agreed that we should prepare and set out a number of alternative options with regard to the phased implementation of a universal GP service without fees. Minister Reilly and I expect to report back to the Cabinet Committee in the near future. As part of this work, consideration will be given to the approaches, timing and financial implications of the phased implementation this universal health service.
The Government has already made clear its commitment to delivering on the implementation of a GP service for the entire population by providing additional financial resources in the two most recent Budgets. The HSE Vote now contains funding of €30 million for this year for an initial phase of the provision of GP services as part of this Programme for Government commitment.
To conclude, far from abandoning its commitment to universal GP care, this Government is determined to expedite the implementation of a national GP service for the entire population, something to which no previous Government has ever aspired.
271. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will issue a special services medical cards to cover all medical treatments, medications, general practitioner and consultant visits in respect of persons suffering from Narcolepsy disorder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23536/13]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Health Act 1970, eligibility for health services in Ireland is based primarily on residency and means. Medical cards are not awarded to any particular group of patients on the basis of a specific medical condition.
Notwithstanding, the Health Service Executive has, at my request, developed a range of appropriate services and supports to address the needs of children/adolescents affected by narcolepsy with symptom onset post pandemic vaccination. With the Department of Education and Skills, the HSE provides a very comprehensive range of services and supports to those affected. These supports and services include access to rapid diagnosis, clear treatment pathways, temporary medical cards and reimbursement of expenses incurred.
Question No. 272 answered with Question No. 248.
