Tuesday, 9 Jul 2013

Written Answers Nos. 547-562

Hospital Appointment Delays

Questions (547)

Anne Ferris

Question:

547. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for non-emergency routine MRI scans; if he will provide a breakdown by hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33412/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular issue of waiting times for non - emergency routine MRI scans, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

Disability Support Services Provision

Questions (548)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

548. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for disability services (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33430/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Health Services Issues

Questions (549)

Michael Colreavy

Question:

549. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Health the policies, protocols and procedures used by the Health Service Executive and his Department to safeguard the financial interests of persons with intellectual disabilities who are in HSE supported care, including protocols for engaging solicitors and or advocates to advise and engage in legal action relating to bequests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33439/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Nursing Education

Questions (550)

Arthur Spring

Question:

550. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health when the result of the re-check of the verbal assessment examination as part of the process for application to pre-registration of the Nursing/Midwifery Degree Programmes (Mature Code Nursing 2013) requested by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be released. [33445/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The information sought by the Deputy is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). I have forwarded your request to NMBI for direct response.

Speech and Language Therapy

Questions (551)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

551. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will explain the reason there is an ongoing dispute in relation to Health Service Executive specific speech and language services in Tallaght, Dublin, which have been provided to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 to cater for children with special educational needs; if he will indicate the steps being taken to resolve this dispute between his Department and the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33449/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.

Medicinal Products Availability

Questions (552)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

552. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to plans to introduce tamoxifen and raloxifene in England and Wales as preventative therapies for certain breast cancer (details supplied); if such a move is being considered here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33464/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer diagnosed in women in Ireland. A comprehensive symptomatic breast service is available for women in the eight designated cancer centres. Most cases of breast cancer arise in women with no apparent close family history. The majority of people with a family history of breast cancer will not be at substantially increased risk.

Women at increased risk of breast cancer due to their family history have a specific range of strategies currently available to reduce their risk. For those for whom risk-reducing surgery is unsuitable or unacceptable, chemoprevention using drugs such as tamoxifen and raloxifene may represent a more acceptable means of risk reduction.

Tamoxifen and raloxifene reduce the risk of breast cancer for women without a personal history but who have an increased risk of the disease. As they are not currently licensed for chemoprevention in well women with a family history of breast cancer in Ireland, they can only be prescribed by a doctor following professional guidance, taking full responsibility for the decision and documenting informed consent from the patient. It is not appropriate to offer them to all women aged over 35 years with a family history of breast and related cancers. Drug licensing in Ireland is the responsibility of the Irish Medicines Board.

All drugs have side effects and risks which are particularly important when they are being used to prevent other diseases. Discussion and information should include the side effects of drugs, the extent of risk reduction, and the risks and benefits of alternative approaches, such as risk-reducing surgery and surveillance. Discussions in relation to risk of cancer of the lining of the womb, or blood clotting and in relation to bone health are of particular importance for tamoxifen and raloxifene.

The communication of information on cancer risk and carrier probability is complex. There is a degree of uncertainty with respect to the probability of inheriting a predisposing genetic mutation, of gene penetrance and hence of developing cancer. People who are concerned about a family history of breast cancer may require information to help them deal with the complex medical and social choices linked with different levels of breast cancer risk management options, and support to cope with the associated uncertainty and anxiety.

The National Cancer Control Programme will be examining the most recent guidance, published this month, on Familial Breast Cancer from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the UK in relation to the management of chemoprevention and other aspects of the care of patients with a family history of breast cancer.

Question No. 553 answered with Question No. 545.

Dental Services Provision

Questions (554)

Tom Fleming

Question:

554. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence regarding the plight of an orthodontic patient (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33467/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.

HSE Properties

Questions (555)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

555. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the full extent to which land and property including buildings in the ownership of the Health Service Executive is held in freehold, fee simple or otherwise in respect of St. Brigid's Nursing Home, Crooksling; the history of the title as derived from the original benefactor Verschoyle Campbell; the manner and status of the title on transfer to the local health authority, to the Eastern Health Board and subsequently to the HSE; if any changes to the status of the title took place in the intervening years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33476/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Management of the health care property estate is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Primary Care Strategy

Questions (556)

Seán Kyne

Question:

556. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress made to date on meeting the primary health strategy commitment of establishing between 400 and 600 functioning primary care teams by the end of 2014. [33480/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The implementation of the Primary Care Strategy is a priority for this Government. The objective is to develop services in the community which will give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners (GPs), nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and others. At the end of May 2013, there were 418 Primary Care Teams operating, i.e. holding clinical team meetings, involving GPs and HSE staff. The 418 Teams provide services for almost 4 million of the population with 2,472 HSE staff members and over 1,567 GPs participating. The HSE's 2013 National Service Plan commits to having 484 operational Teams in place by the end of this year.

Question No. 557 answered with Question No. 472.

Prescription Charges

Questions (558)

Seán Kyne

Question:

558. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the presumably unintended anomaly whereby medical card holders are charged the prescription charge twice where a single prescription item is dispensed at different strengths to make up the prescribed strength and if action will be taken to address same. [33487/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Medical card holders are required to pay a €1.50 charge per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €19.50 per month for each person or family. Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the HSE or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme. Where a drug or medicine is required to be dispensed in different strengths and different containers, a prescription charge applies to each item.

HSE Staffing

Questions (559, 560, 561)

David Stanton

Question:

559. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health the total number of psychotherapists employed by his Department and the Health Service Executive; and if he will provide a breakdown of the locations of these psychotherapists by HSE area. [33549/13]

David Stanton

Question:

560. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health the necessary qualifications psychotherapists must hold to be eligible for employment by the Health Service Executive; the manner in which these psychotherapists are recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33550/13]

David Stanton

Question:

561. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure on psychotherapy services by the Health Service Executive in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively; if he will provide a breakdown of this expenditure by hours and HSE area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33551/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 to 561, inclusive, together.

As this is a service matter the Deputy's questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Air Navigation Order

Questions (562)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

562. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the procedure of notification that is required to be given to Ireland when aircraft enter and pass through Irish airspace carrying Heads of State or Heads of Government from other nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33181/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

If the Head of State or Government from another nation enters or passes through Irish airspace on military or State aircraft,  it is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  In the case of civilian aircraft it is a matter for my Department. 

For such carriage on board civilian aircraft engaged in fuel/technical stops or over-flights, no permission is required aside from technical notifications such as for air traffic control. Under the provisions of the Chicago Convention on International Aviation, non-scheduled flights, i.e. non-regular, non-commercial flights, non-traffic stops can be made into or across Irish territory without any requirement for prior permission. If the Head of State or Government is visiting Ireland and is travelling on a non-EU commercial/civilian flight the airline involved may have to apply for an authorisation for traffic rights to my Department. For such carriage on board military or State aircraft, the provisions of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 apply. In this context, permission must be obtained from the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the overflight/landing.