Written Answers Nos. 259-269
259. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he has studied the budgetary submission submitted to his Department on behalf of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland with particular reference to ensuring cost-effective dementia care in the forthcoming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32663/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to develop a National Alzheimer’s and other Dementias' Strategy by 2013 to
- increase awareness
- ensure early diagnosis and intervention and
- ensure development of enhanced community based services.
A significant amount of preparatory work has already been completed. A research review funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, titled Creating Excellence in Dementia Care, A Research Review for Ireland’s National Dementia Strategy, was published in January 2012. A public consultation process to inform the development of the Strategy was conducted in 2012 and a report of same published on the Department’s website in February 2013. The Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland made a submission to this process.
A Working Group, representative of key stakeholders from the Department, the HSE, the medical profession and the community and voluntary sector has been established, meetings of which are on-going. The Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland is represented on this Working Group. While the development of the Strategy will have to have due regard to the constraints imposed by the budgetary situation, it is intended that it will be a transformative Strategy. It will have a very practical focus, will be action oriented and will focus on what can be done to make a difference to the lives of people with dementia. It is intended that a draft of the Strategy will be completed by the end of 2013.
260. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the criteria that applied for inclusion of conditions that are covered by the long term illness scheme. [32673/13]
View answerThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme is a non-means tested scheme introduced in 1971. It provides free medicines and medical or surgical appliances to people with specified conditions. The LTI Scheme arose from a non-statutory scheme, established in 1967, for the free supply of certain products for the treatment of diabetes to persons who did not hold a medical card under the Health Act 1947. The Scheme was also intended to assist those without medical cards who had regular large drug bills from particular conditions.
The scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970, which has been amended and now reads as follows - "The Health Service Executive may make arrangements for the supply without charge of drugs, medicines or medical and surgical appliances, for the time being on the Reimbursement List within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, to persons suffering from a prescribed disease or disability of a permanent or long-term nature.” Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the Scheme. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme. The LTI Scheme predates the introduction of the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS), under which no individual or family currently pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
261. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support State recognition for qualified art psychotherapists in 2013. [32678/13]
View answerI understand that the deputy is referring in his question to creative arts therapists. The Health and Social Care Professionals Council (the Council) and the 12 registration boards to be established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 are responsible for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among the registrants of the following 12 health and social care professions designated under the Act: clinical biochemists, dietitians, medical scientists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, radiographers, social care workers, social workers and speech and language therapists. In time, and in accordance with the provisions of the 2005 Act, only registrants will be entitled to use these titles.
The first registration board to be established, the Social Workers Registration Board, was established in August 2010, and the associated Social Workers Register opened for receipt and processing of applications on 31st May, 2011. A second registration board, the Radiographers Registration Board, was established on 16th December, 2011 and its register is expected to be established shortly. Three further registration boards, the Dietitians Registration Board, the Occupational Therapists Registration Board, and the Speech and Language Therapists Registration Board have been established with effect from 1st November 2012. It is proposed to establish the Physiotherapists Registration Board shortly and expressions of interest from interested parties are currently being examined with a view to filling vacancies on the soon to be established Board.
All the registration boards and their registers for the remaining designated professions should be established by 2015.
While the legislation empowers the Minister for Health to include, if he considers it appropriate and in the public interest to do so, additional health and social care professions in the regulatory system over time, and under specific criteria, I have no plans at present to regulate creative arts therapists. The question of regulating further health and social care professionals may be reviewed post 2015 in the context of progress made at that juncture.
The issue of recognition of creative arts therapies in the public health services, the need for such services and the direct employment of creative arts therapists are matters for the Health Service Executive in the first instance.
262. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [32679/13]
View answerAlthough the 2013 allocation for disability services has been reduced by 1.2%, the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Service Plan includes an additional €4m to provide training places and day services for school-leavers and Rehabilitative / Lifeskills Training (RT) graduates in 2013. This funding is being allocated to each HSE Region based on its percentage of population. Both the voluntary sector and the HSE are committed to the best use of the funding in a creative and flexible manner so as to secure as many places as possible for this cohort.
The demand for services for school-leavers continues to grow. The HSE expects that approximately 700 young people who have finished their education or life-skills training will require services in 2013. Providing the level of services required within the additional funding provided will continue to be a challenge. Work in this area will be progressed largely in line with the HSE guidance document developed in 2012, which led to the successful placement of 99% of RT graduates and 96% of school leavers last year.
Information on the final numbers of young people who require training places or day supports is being collated and plans to meet their requirements finalised. Final figures are expected from the HSE shortly, but are likely to exceed last year’s total of 700. As soon as plans are completed and approved, a communication process will be agreed with service providers to inform families of the services that will be available from September 2013.
In respect of the specific question asked by the Deputy, as it relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
263. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the delays in outpatient waiting lists at Letterkenny General Hospital; if his further attention has been drawn to the delays in a number of departments where significant numbers of patients are waiting in excess of one year; the actions he will take to reduce the waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32682/13]
View answer268. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the delays in outpatient waiting lists at Letterkenny General Hospital; if his attention has been further drawn to the delays in a number of departments where significant numbers of patients are waiting in excess of one year: his plans to reduce the waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32746/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 268 together.
Improving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Collaborating with individual hospitals, the SDU, together with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) and the HSE, has developed the outpatient waiting list minimum dataset. This allows data to be submitted to the NTPF from hospitals on a weekly basis and, for the first time, outpatient data is available on www.ntpf.ie. For 2013, a maximum waiting time target has been set of 12 months for a first time consultant-led outpatient appointment and this is reflected in the HSE service plan. The SDU and the NTPF will work closely with hospitals towards achievement of the maximum waiting time.
In relation to the particular queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in these matters.
264. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if the new vaccine for menigitis B, called Bexsero, will be introduced into the childhood immunisation schedule as it has recently been licensed by the European Commission; and the timeframe expected for its introduction. [32683/13]
View answer265. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans, if any, for the introduction of the new vaccine into the childhood immunisation schedule that protects against meningitis B disease which was recently licensed by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32692/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together.
The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice, international best practice and by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
A Health Technology Assessment which includes a cost benefit analysis is carried out prior to any new vaccine being considered. This has a vital role in ensuring that care technologies, including vaccines, are used in a manner appropriate to their ability to maximise health gain and achieve value for money.
Should NIAC advice recommend the inclusion of a new vaccine into the primary childhood immunisation programme in Ireland, my Department, in association with the Health Service Executive's National Immunisation Office will examine the issue.
266. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when the necessary treatment will be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32702/13]
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 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.
267. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of projects that were approved for funding by his Department conditional on a bond being produced from a builder; the amount of the default by builders where such bonds were in place; the amount recovered through the use of bonds in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32721/13]
View answerAn insurance bond is an important condition and best practice in any construction contract. The purpose of an insurance bond is to ensure that a construction project can be delivered to the satisfaction of the contracting authority in the event that the contractor is not in a position to complete the project. As all parties to the bond are bound by its conditions, all have its legal protections.
Currently there is a commitment by the Health Research Board (HRB), an agency which is directly funded by my Department, to part fund one project which would require a insurance bond. The HRB will not be a party to the contract. This project will deliver a Clinical Research Facility to be constructed on the Galway University Hospital campus.
As your question is more appropriate to the Health Service Executive which is responsible for the delivery of health care infrastructure, it has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.
269. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he will update Dáil Éireann on the proposal to establish co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the provision of an air ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32790/13]
View answerIn 2011, a number of approaches were made to my department to establish, at state cost or with state assistance, a helicopter ambulance service in the west of Ireland. Given the lack of emergency aeromedical support (EAS) data in an Irish context and the funding implications, it was decided to run a pilot project using existing state resources. The purpose was to determine the level and type, if any, of dedicated EAS service needed, particularly in light of the requirements of HSE clinical care programmes such as Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke. The review of the pilot EAS service has been completed and is being examined. Both immediate and longer term issues will be considered in the course of this examination, including, as I have stated on a number of occasions, the possibility of an an all-Ireland service.
