Written Answers Nos. 1037-1054
1037. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he has considered adding Addison's Disease to the long-term illness scheme; his views on whether Addison's Disease is a severe illness with sufferers more often than not developing at least one associated endocrine condition; his views on whether the costs involved in treating Addison's Disease is a huge financial burden for sufferers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27902/13]
View answerThere are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness scheme.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
In addition, people who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the Health Service Executive can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family. Those who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.
1038. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update in relation to the funding provided for the recruitment of diabetes nurse specialists (details supplied) in County Galway; when he envisages the posts being filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27908/13]
View answerThe National Integrated Care Diabetes Programme is being implemented on a phased basis. The programme will improve patient access and manage patient care in an integrated manner across service settings, resulting in better outcomes, enhanced clinical decision making and the most effective use of resources.
The Government has approved funding for the appointment of 17 Integrated Care Diabetes Nurse Specialists (one per HSE Integrated Service Area) to support the phased roll out of the programme. These Diabetes Nurse Specialists will work 1 day per week in a hospital setting and 4 days per week in primary care. They will play a key role in the development of clinically sound collaborative links between primary care and secondary care providers and will also be an essential resource in empowering patients to achieve optimum diabetes control. It is anticipated that all 17 positions will be filled soon.
Funding has also been secured to appoint 16 podiatrists and a number of these posts have been filled. Recruitment for the remaining posts is underway and the aim is to have them filled as soon as possible in 2013.
In relation to the filling of Diabetes posts in specific areas, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in these matters.
1039. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card appeal in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry who were issued with general practitioner visit cards only are on long-term medication; if he will issue discretionary medical cards in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27909/13]
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.
1040. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will upgrade general practitioner visit cards to full medical cards in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27921/13]
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.
1041. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health if details in relation to the evaluation and outcome of a complaint to the Dental Council will be provided to the complainant (details supplied) in County Galway. [27924/13]
View answerI understand that the person (details supplied) has been in contact with the Dental Council recently in regard to a complaint which he had made. The Council will be writing to him in the near future regarding the decision taken by the Fitness to Practice Committee of the Council in his case.
1042. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the National Ambulance Service's plans for the roll-out of intermediate care vehicles in Drogheda; the process for the engagement of personnel to operate the service; if recruitment arrangements are currently open regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27928/13]
View answerA significant reform programme has been underway in recent years in pre-hospital care services, to ensure 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 NAS Control Centre Reconfiguration Project.
In July 2012, the HSE National Ambulance Service commenced developing non-emergency transport, through a national intermediate care service (ICS) , which is key to resolving bed and clinical management pressures. ICS will allow for safe, planned and timely clinical transfers of inpatients to the most appropriate facility, depending on their acuity and clinical needs. This will allow for beds to be made available for higher acuity admissions through emergency departments. ICS will also release emergency resources from this service and back to emergency functions, for improved response times and performances in pre-hospital care.
To date, ICS has been implemented in Cavan, Castleblayney, South County Dublin, Letterkenny, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Roscommon, Mallow and Bantry. Supported by the 2013 National Service Plan, the NAS intends to expand ICS to Waterford, Cork Tralee, Castlebar and Drogheda and to increase services in Dublin and Galway during 2013.
In relation to the particular queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
1043. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health if a primary care centre (details supplied) in County Meath will be included in the PPP tenders that are to be issued in August; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27934/13]
View answerKells is one of the 35 potential locations for primary care centres for development by way of PPP as announced in the July 2012 Infrastructure Stimulus Package. Of the 35, approximately 20 will be offered to the market subject to a) agreement between the local GPs and the HSE on active local GP involvement in the centres and b) site suitability and availability. The HSE is currently analysing the available sites in each location and engaging with the GPs in each location to determine their interest in participating in the primary care centre development.
Question No. 1044 answered with Question No. 1003.
1045. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine a medical card application in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; if he will take into consideration the huge medical expenses associated with this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27952/13]
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.
1046. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an operation for a hip replacement for a second time will be arranged in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will expedite the matter. [27956/13]
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 this particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the Health Service Executive to investigate the situation and respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
1047. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an application for a full medical card will be reviewed in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [27963/13]
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.
1048. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [27965/13]
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.
1049. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health the steps that must be taken for an illness to be included on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27971/13]
View answerThe illnesses covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme were prescribed by regulations made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the scheme.
1050. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 593 of 23 April 2013 if he will outline the estimate in the 2013 allocation for the implementation of the EU cross-border directive on medical care; the reason the Bill has not been listed in the summer legislation programme in view of the fact that it must be enacted into Irish law by 25 October 2013; if he plans to enact this directive by primary or secondary legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28002/13]
View answerThe EU Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross border healthcare provides clarity about the rights of patients who seek healthcare in another Member State and supplements the rights that patients already have at EU level through the Regulation on the coordination of social security schemes (Regulation 883/04). The Directive does not establish any new entitlements or rights to treatment.
It should be emphasised that the vast majority of EU patients receive healthcare in their own country and prefer to do so. The Directive seeks to provide a clear and transparent framework for the provision of cross-border healthcare within the EU, for those occasions where patients seek health care in another Member State rather than in their home country. The Directive should, therefore, be seen as complimentary to the current situation under EU Regulation 883/04. While there may be resource implications as a result of its transposition, it is particularly difficult to quantify them at this time as they may be of the nature of displacement away from the EU Regulations rather than totally new demands. In view of this and the tight financial position regarding the funding of the health services generally, no additional provision was made in the 2013 Estimates for the Directive.
My Department continues its work on the required legislative framework to facilitate the assimilation of the Directive into domestic legislation. Details of legislative changes required will be published closer to the date for transposition of the Directive.
1051. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the practice in Finland in which new mothers are given maternity boxes which include nappies and clothes when they leave hospital if they have attended a prenatal screening; his plans, if any, to introduce a similar scheme here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28007/13]
View answerIn 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.
1052. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28010/13]
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.
1053. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding services in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [28025/13]
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.
1054. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will review a general practitioner visit card and update it to a full medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28041/13]
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.
