Written Answers Nos. 1081 - 1100
1081. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he has considered establishing a forum on long-term residential care, to include all relevant stakeholders involved in the provision of such care for older persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34713/13]
View answer1083. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the fair deal scheme is adequately resourced and future-proofed to accommodate the increasing numbers of persons who will need nursing home care in the near future and to prevent older persons in need of care having to wait to avail of the specialist care of nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34730/13]
View answer1084. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the support his Department currently provides for private and voluntary nursing homes to meet the growth in demand for nursing home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34734/13]
View answer1085. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing an independent appeals mechanism in order that persons can address the failure to agree fees for nursing home care with the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34739/13]
View answer1087. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing an independent appeals process to provide nursing homes with the opportunity to address judgments made by the Health Information and Quality Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34743/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1081, 1083 to 1085, inclusive, and 1087 together.
I refer the Deputy to my replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 674, 676 and 677 of 28 May 2013 and 240 of 20 June. In addition, I would like to advise the Deputy that the Nursing Homes Support Scheme is currently under review. The review is centred on sustainability. Work will continue on the review in the coming months with a view to completion by end 2013-early 2014. As the Scheme is statutory based, the implementation of any recommendations arising from the review may require amendments to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009.
1082. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to set national criteria for access to primary care services in view of the geographic discrimination that applies when accessing health care, for example, physiotherapy and mental health services. [34725/13]
View answerThis Government is committed to reforming our model of delivering health care so we can reduce the cost of achieving the best health outcomes for our citizens.
The implementation of the Primary Care Strategy continues to be 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, speech and language 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 HSE's 2013 National Service Plan commits to having 484 operational teams in place by the end of this year.
In 2012, the HSE completed a detailed analysis of the numbers and distribution of public health nurses, registered general nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. The analysis revealed considerable variation across the HSE’s 17 Integrated Service Areas in ratios of health care professionals to population and to population numbers in areas of high deprivation.
Based on this exercise, in 2013, Primary Care funding of €20 million, nationally, will be invested to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line primary care team posts and enhance the capacity of the primary care sector.
I issued approval to the HSE on 27 March 2013 to commence recruitment to Primary Care Teams with immediate effect of the following additional 251 Primary Care posts:
- 70 Public Health Nurses;
- 37 Registered General Nurses;
- 51 Occupational Therapists;
- 46 Physiotherapists; and
- 47 Speech and Language Therapists.
The allocation and distribution of the above posts is based on bringing each Integrated Service Area, where staffing is below the national average, towards the national average.
This Government recognised the pivotal role that Primary Care has in addressing the mental health needs of the population and committed in the Programme for Government to the provision of counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems. Budget 2012 provided a special allocation of €35 million for mental health from which €5m was made available for the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems who are eligible under the General Medical Services. A further €2.5 million was made available from this year’s special allocation for mental health. Ten Counsellor Co-ordinators, who will be responsible for the set-up, roll-out, management and monitoring of the service, have now been appointed.
Last week, I was delighted to join my colleague, the Minister with responsibility for Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch, T.D, at the launch of the Counselling in Primary Care Initiative. This initiative will be working to improve access to counselling to people with mild to moderate psychological difficulties who are medical card holders under the General Medical Services Scheme.
It is expected that the start date for the service will vary according to when the Counsellor Co-ordinator takes up the post but the first services will begin to roll-out this month.
1086. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the Health Service Executive to change the way it processes medical treatment for children on medical cards who also have school insurance in order that costs of treatment can be covered at source rather than claimed back by the patient. [34742/13]
View answerThe A&E charge which is currently €100 is provided for by the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 2013.
The public inpatient charge (€75 per day subject to a maximum of €750 in any period of 12 consecutive months) is provided for by the Health (In-Patient Charges) Regulations 1987 (as amended), made under Section 53 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended).
Under the regulations, medical card holders are exempted from each of these charges.
1088. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if patient transport will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 who cannot get transport to their service, either by private or scheduled public transport; if direct contact will be made with the family to assist them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34788/13]
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.
1089. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who sat the written assessment for application to pre-registration nursing and midwifery degree programme commencing in September 2013 may be considered for a waiting list for the programme in view of the the applicant's examination average over all subjects. [34838/13]
View answerUnfortunately, my Department has no role in this matter. I have contacted the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) and the information requested by the Deputy can be obtained in the booklet "Nursing and Midwifery a Career for You" on pages 19 and 20, which can be obtained on the NMBI website. This booklet sets out how people are considered for the waiting list, as there are different criteria, depending on whether the person is a mature code applicant or a standard code applicant.
1090. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to issue anti-stab vests to all Health Service Executive ambulance staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34917/13]
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.
1091. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of the Programme Management Office in his Department; its functions, membership and the date of its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34932/13]
View answerMy Department has been working on proposals for ensuring that health reforms are implemented in a timely and effective way, including the establishment of a Programme Management Office, as promised in Future Health. In February this year I approved the governance arrangements for the Programme of Health Reform. The new structures include a Programme Management Office and a Health Reform Programme Board in the Department of Health and a Systems Reform Group in the HSE. The Programme Board will drive and oversee implementation of the health service reform programme, the actions in Future Health and the Integrated Reform Programme, in line with the overall public service reform agenda. The Board comprises senior officials of my Department and the HSE, as well as an independent expert in programme management. The Programme Management Office will focus on timing, sequencing and milestones for each project. It will prioritise, monitor and report on the health reform programme as a whole, identifying inter-dependencies between actions and highlighting areas for corrective action.
A senior official with extensive experience in this area has been assigned to undertake work on the PMO by the Secretary General. Two other staff with relevant expertise have also been assigned to the Programme Management Office.
1092. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of the national task force on prescribing and dispensing practice in the first half of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34933/13]
View answerThe HSE has been working with GPs over many years to encourage better quality prescribing of drugs in Ireland. In 2012, the HSE’s Medicines Management Programme was established and one of its key tasks is to communicate with prescribers regarding best practice.
The Programme has identified "preferred drugs" for prescribers when prescribing Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) or statin medication for patients. This is the first time that the State has introduced a preferred drug initiative. PPIs are prescribed for patients with peptic ulcer disease and-or reflux and statin medication is for high cholesterol. The preferred PPI is Lansoprazole and the preferred statin is Simvastatin. The HSE is asking doctors to prescribe these preferred drugs in order to save money, both for patients who pay for their medication and to deliver savings of an estimated €15 million for the taxpayer.
A further initiative under way to assist with GP prescribing is the launch of the HSE’s Prescribing Guidance System (PGS). This system supports prescribers with integrated "point of prescribing" information making it easier for GPs to make decisions in line with MMP prescribing guidance. In turn, the system also gives assurance regarding the effectiveness of prescribing guidance interventions.
It is anticipated that this prescribing guidance system will be a critical assistance to the GP community and significantly important to the wider health system.
1093. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a review of integrated service areas has been completed. [34934/13]
View answerA review of Integrated Service Areas, which is being undertaken by the HSE, has not yet been completed.
1094. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of sectoral plans for shared services and external service delivery developed by his Department and the Health Service Executive in 2012; the numbers developed in 2013 to date; the numbers planned for development in total; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34935/13]
View answerThe Health Sector Shared Services Delivery Plan was approved in October 2012 and the Health Sector External Service Delivery Plan was approved in July this year.
Both plans aim to optimise service delivery in the health system and implementation of the recommendations in them will enable greater efficiency and better cost effectiveness to deal with future challenges.
I do not have specific details of the number of projects developed to date or in planning. However, this Department must report on progress annually to the Department of Expenditure and Reform's Reform and Delivery Office and this report will be made available to the Deputy when produced.
1095. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the single assessment tool for older persons services will be rolled out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34936/13]
View answerOne of the key priorities identified in the HSE's National Operational Plan 2013 is to progress a Single Assessment Tool for older people. This standardised framework will allow resources to be targeted towards those with the greatest needs and enable supports and services to be designed in the most appropriate way possible.
The HSE has selected the interRAI suite of tools as the most fit-for-purpose single assessment tool for older people. The HSE has established a Project Board to provide strategic direction and manage the project. The HSE is currently carrying out a procurement process for the technology required to support the implementation of the tool.
Next steps include acceptance testing, deployment to early adopters, further testing and deployment to the remainder of users on a phased basis. It is expected that the tool will be fully rolled out by end-2016.
1096. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the Health Service Executive has published an e-health strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34937/13]
View answerMy Department, in conjunction with the HSE, is developing an eHealth Strategy which is currently being finalised and is awaiting feedback from stakeholders. It is anticipated that this process will be completed over the next few weeks after which the Strategy will be submitted to me for approval.
1097. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the Health Service Executive have established an information and ICT strategy unit with a chief information officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34938/13]
View answerI presume the Deputy is referring to an action in Future Health - A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012 – 2015. My Department is currently in discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Health Services Executive in agreeing the requirements, functions and staffing for an Information and ICT Strategy Unit in the overall context of health sector reform. The role and responsibilities for the proposed Chief Information Officer is also under consideration in the context of these discussions.
1098. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm if the National Ambulance Service has a policy of not replacing a crew member calling in sick or going out sick on a day shift; the number of times this has happened in the last available monthly period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34955/13]
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.
1099. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant posts advertised under the new consultant contract; the number filled to date and if any of these posts was at a higher remuneration rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34962/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputy with the information sought.
1100. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant posts in acute stroke medicine in each acute hospital; the number of posts which are vacant in each hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34963/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputy with the information sought.
