Written Answers Nos. 971-987
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Written Answers Nos. 971-987
971. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the total amount of funds allocated to the Health Service Executive in County Donegal over each of the past five years to each of the special needs preschools in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27021/13]
View answerThe particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
973. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of infection with the hospital bug C. diff each week/month in Dublin hospitals. [27038/13]
View answerThe Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) of the Health Service Executive (HSE) publishes weekly data on Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection in arrears on its website. New cases of C. diff have been notifiable in Ireland since 4th May 2008. In 2008 some 1,614 cases of C. diff were reported, 1,895 in 2009, 1,692 in 2010 ,1,848 in 2011 and 1,619 in 2012. Figures up to 25th May, 2013 indicate some 708 cases have been reported so far this year.
It should be noted that prior to 2012 only new cases of C. diff were notifiable. Since 1st January, 2012 both new and recurrent cases are notifiable. In addition the surveillance system only covers 85% of all acute public hospital data and this should be taken into account when interpreting trends.
As data on individual hospitals is not available on the HPSC website, I have arranged to have the Deputy's question forwarded to the HSE for attention and a more detailed reply.
974. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if home help will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27042/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
975. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the running costs of the Ambulance Service in the north east in each of the past five years; the changes that have been made to the opening hours of each of the ambulance centres in the north east in each of the past five years; the level of ambulance staff on duty during the day, during the night and on the weekends for each of the past five years and if he will include any changes to staff levels; the arrival time targets for the ambulance service for each of the past five years; if there are different arrival time targets at different times of the day, the week or between rural and urban, and if he will identify same; the changes in the average journey length and duration of an ambulance carrying a patient to a hospital in each of the past five years; if the transformation programme had an effect on this; and the changes to cover provided for staff on sick leave, annual leave and other forms of leave within the service in the past five years. [27009/13]
View answerA significant reform programme has been underway in recent years in pre-hospital care services across the country, including the North East, for the development of a clinically driven, nationally co-ordinated system, supported by improved technology. The programme involves a number of measures, including the Performance Improvement Action Plan, development of the intermediate care service (ICS), the trial emergency aeromedical service (EAS), and the National Ambulance Service (NAS) Control Centre Reconfiguration Project.
The NAS is taking steps to address challenges nationally, such as reliance on on-call rostering, geography, resourcing and the use of emergency ambulances for routine transport. The move from on-call to on-duty rostering for ambulance services is a key part of improving the service as highly trained paramedic crews are on site in their stations or vehicles to respond immediately to dispatches. The NAS is also developing a non-emergency transport fleet, the national intermediate care service (ICS), for routine clinical transfers of patients, freeing emergency ambulances for emergency responses.
In relation to the query raised by the Deputy in relation to ambulance services specifically in the North East, as these are operational issues for the HSE I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
976. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the position regarding respite care in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27012/13]
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.
977. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a special bed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27365/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
978. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health the reason an oral surgery facility for dental treatment provided in New Ross, County Wexford, was withdrawn without any reason or discussions and patients were transferred to a treatment centre in County Cork, in view of the fact that this will mean a medical card patient will have to travel twice to Cork, once for consultation and once for treatment, at huge expense from County Wexford, and endure a long waiting period for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27373/13]
View answerThe HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and reply to him as soon as possible.
979. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27386/13]
View answerImproving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Building on work already undertaken by the HSE, the National Treatment Purchase Fund has now taken over the reporting of outpatient waiting time data. For the first time data is available on www.ntpf.ie. The collation and analysis of outpatient waiting time data in a standardised format will reveal the distribution of long waiters across all hospitals. For 2013, a maximum waiting time target has now been set of 12 months for a first time outpatient appointment.
In parallel with reducing the numbers of longest waiters, the SDU will also work with the HSE Clinical Programmes to reform the structure, organisation and delivery of outpatient services to ensure that the right patient is seen and assessed by the right health professional at the right time.
In 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.
980. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a hospital appointment [27400/13]
View answerImproving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Building on work already undertaken by the HSE, the National Treatment Purchase Fund has now taken over the reporting of outpatient waiting time data. For the first time data is available on www.ntpf.ie. The collation and analysis of outpatient waiting time data in a standardised format will reveal the distribution of long waiters across all hospitals. For 2013, a maximum waiting time target has now been set of 12 months for a first time outpatient appointment.
In parallel with reducing the numbers of longest waiters, the SDU will also work with the HSE Clinical Programmes to reform the structure, organisation and delivery of outpatient services to ensure that the right patient is seen and assessed by the right health professional at the right time.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
981. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate the IDS waiting list at Cappagh Hospital, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27401/13]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has recently been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
984. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) had been informed by their consultant that their operation was urgent and would take place in June and has now been told that the operation will take place in August at the earliest. [27418/13]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has recently been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
Should a 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 particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
985. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to set up a forum on long-term residential care in conjunction with Health Information and Quality Authority and the National Treatment Purchase Fund with the participation of the providers of long-term residential care in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27434/13]
View answer1056. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Health his plans to establish a forum on long-term residential care in which all the key stakeholders in the provision of care of the elderly would participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28086/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 985 and 1056 together.
I refer the Deputies to my reply to Parliamentary Question Number 674 of 28 May 2013. The position remains unchanged.
986. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the employment panel for physiotherapists here; if any recently graduated physiotherapists have been accommodated with employment in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27449/13]
View answerAs this is an operational matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
987. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on funding for day services in Dublin Mid West (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27462/13]
View answerAs this is an operational matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
