Written Answers Nos. 200-207
200. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the closure of the Sancta Maria Respite facility at St. Vincent's Centre, Navan Road, Dublin 7 and the circumstances surrounding same; his plans to immediately address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24812/13]
View answerAs 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.
201. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the works to be carried out in the Sacred Heart Hospital, Castlebar, County Mayo, as a result of the Health Information and Quality Authority report are carried out in a reasonable timeframe in order that the hospital can survive and that any idea of €10 million having to be found by 2015 from within the hospital's own resources requires extra Government assistance. [24813/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
202. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form legal fees paid by the Health Service Executive to all individuals and organisations, including solicitors, counsel, guardians ad litem, third parties and others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24814/13]
View answer203. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has failed to respond to numerous freedom of information requests in relation to the executive's legal expenditure for 2011; if he will confirm that records relating to HSE legal expenditure form 2011 exist in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24815/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together.
The Public Service is a major consumer of legal services. All Government Departments/Offices and Agencies funded by the Exchequer must comply with EU Directives and national guidelines on procurement. Procurement of products, goods and services including legal fees which support the delivery of health care is a service matter.
The Deputy's question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
204. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3 on €208 per week is having their chiropody service cut; and if it is correct that the same service is not being cut on the south side of Dublin by the Health Service Executive. [24816/13]
View answerCommunity chiropody is a discretionary service, which the Health Service Executive endeavours to provide on a prioritised basis within the context of available resources and competing needs for such resources. The HSE has been asked to examine the query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.
205. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the possibility of providing a dedicated, specialised Alzheimer's unit in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24829/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
206. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive is not paying general practitioners to administer warfarin to qualified patients in view of the fact that, if they were to attend the clinics as determined by the HSE, this would create a major travel cost for each participant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24833/13]
View answerThe current General Medical Services (GMS) GP Capitation Contract was introduced in 1989 and is based on a diagnosis and treatment model. Under the GMS contract, GPs receive a range of fees and allowances, including an annual capitation payment in respect of each medical card and GP visit card patient on their GMS list. Section 11 of the current contract states as follows: "The medical practitioner shall provide for eligible persons, on behalf of the relevant Health Board, all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess. This will include such preventive and developmental services as are currently provided or may be developed in the new style of practice which this agreement facilitates, some of which services may be included on the list of special items of service for which specific payments shall be made."
The monitoring and appropriate care of patients receiving anti-coagulation therapy with Warfarin comes within the scope of competence of general practice. Warfarin testing is also available free of charge in hospitals. Warfarin testing is carried out by some general practitioners as a matter of course in their practices and I welcome this. This provides their patients with an option of receiving this service locally in a primary care setting rather than attending an acute hospital for this service.
The Programme for Government provides for the introduction of a new GMS GP contract with an increased emphasis on the management of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. It is envisaged that the new contract, when finalised, will focus on prevention and will include a requirement for GPs to provide care as part of integrated multidisciplinary Primary Care Teams. Officials in my Department are in consultation with the HSE with a view to drawing up a new contract. The appropriate arrangements in relation to anti-coagulation therapy will be considered as part of the new contract.
