Written Answers Nos. 1427-1446
1427. 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. [37786/13]
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 issued to Oireachtas members.
1429. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide adequate funding and resources for the Coolgrane Training Centre, Killarney, County Kerry to ensure the vital services this training centre provides are maintained and enhanced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37795/13]
View answerAs this is a direct reply this matter has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1430. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the statistics regarding hoax ambulance calls in County Kerry for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37796/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1431. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 was refused a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37806/13]
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 issued to Oireachtas members.
1432. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37809/13]
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 issued to Oireachtas members.
1433. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the supports available in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11. [37820/13]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services, including disability services. The HSE either directly provides or contracts disability agencies such as St Michael House to provide a range of disability services through service level arrangements.
St Michael’s House received over €70 million in 2012 in funding from the HSE to provide a range of services to approximately 1,660 children and adults with an intellectual disability in over 170 centres in the Greater Dublin Area and Navan Co. Meath.
The HSE and St Michael's House work in close collaboration with regard to the funding and delivery of services to people with an intellectual disability. As a voluntary agency, St Michael’s house are obliged to work within the resources available to them and in that regard have introduced significant efficiencies over recent years to remain within budget. The HSE has advised that these changes to date have not resulted in service contraction.
The Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) sets out measures relating to productivity, cost extraction and reform which together intends to achieve a required pay bill reduction of €150m identified in the HSE Service Plan 2013. The agreement provides a framework and opportunities for managers within the health services, including agencies such as St Michael's House, to reduce their costs associated with agency and overtime and a wide range of other pay costs, particularly through measures such as additional working hours and revised rates in respect of overtime.
The HSE has advised the Department of Health that the recent application of additional budget cuts under the HRA has presented a significant challenge to St Michael’s House. A process is now underway between the HSE and St Michael’s House to identify the impact of these budget reductions on services. The Department of Health has received assurances from the HSE that both organisations are committed to working within the terms of the HRA to ensure that services are impacted upon only as a measure of last resort.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1434. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the length of the waiting list for child and adolescent mental health services in each of the Health Service Executive regions; if the waiting list is increasing; and the steps that have been taken to tackle the length of those waiting lists. [37821/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1435. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the suspension of the day care service at Swinford District Hospital, County Mayo; when was he made aware of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37824/13]
View answer1436. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the Health Service Executive to put alternative services in place for the users of the daycare services at Swinford District Hospital where service has been suspended indefinitely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37825/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1435 and 1436 together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
1437. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Health if he will accelerate the provision of the special chair already agreed in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [37827/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
1438. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be reinstated in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37839/13]
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 issued to Oireachtas members.
1440. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the current practise of the Government in-patient levy on private health insurers and the new charge on private health insurers for the full cost of a public hospital bed will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37841/13]
View answerSection 55 of the Health Act 1970, as amended by section 6 of the Health (Amendment) Act 1991, provides for the making available by the HSE of private in-patient service and sets out that the HSE shall charge for any services so made available and provided to any such person in accordance with charges approved of or directed by the Minister.
There are currently two charges levied on private in-patients under Section 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended): a maintenance charge and a daily charge. The maintenance charge ranges from €586 to €1,046 per day for private patients who are accommodated in a private designated bed. The private in-patient daily charge is €75 and is applicable to all private patients without exception.
The Health (Amendment) Act, 2013 (No. 31 of 2013), signed by the President on 24th July 2013, provides for the introduction of a single private in-patient charge for all private patients, including those accommodated in public beds. The in-patient daily charge will cease and the hospital charge for a private day-case patient will be reduced from a total of €828 to €407 in a Category 1 hospital. The daily charge for a private patient accommodated overnight in a multi-occupancy room in a category 1 hospital will be €813. Currently, the equivalent charges applied to a patient in a semi-private bed are €1,008. These provisions will come into effect from 1st January 2014.
1441. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if dyspraxia is considered a disability; the services and supports available to persons with dyspraxia; if clinics or counselling are available to ensure that those who have dyspraxia get the best out of life and fulfil their potential; the services that are available to identify persons who have dyspraxia; the follow up services or treatment available; and if he will make available the location and contact details for these supports. [37856/13]
View answerI am advised by the Health Service Executive that dyspraxia, also known as developmental co-ordination disorder, is a disability that affects movement and co-ordination. It is thought to be caused by a disruption in the way messages from the brain are transmitted to the body. It is characterised by difficulty in planning smooth, co-ordinated movements, which leads to clumsiness, a lack of co-ordination and problems with language, perception and thought. Symptoms are normally noticeable from an early age. The condition is more common in boys and sometimes runs in families. It may also occur alongside other conditions, such as:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a group of behavioural symptoms of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness;
- Dyslexia: a common type of learning difficulty that mainly affects the skills involved in reading and spelling words.
For children with mild problems, these may disappear as they grow up. However, up to 9 out of 10 children with dyspraxia will continue to have difficulties as a teenager and adult.
Having dyspraxia does not alter a child’s intelligence but affects their learning capability. For this reason children with dyspraxia may require additional supports in the school setting to keep up with their classmates. The provision of such educational supports is a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills.
From a health perspective, there is no cure for dyspraxia, but a number of therapies can make it easier for the child to cope with their problems. These include speech and language therapy, to improve speech and communication skills, and occupational therapy to find ways to remain independent and complete everyday tasks. The provision of health related services is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy with information regarding the specific health services available for these children.
1442. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the number of the 477 additional staff committed to under the Health Service Executive National Service Plan 2013 in order to fulfil the objectives of further development of forensics and community mental health teams for adults, children, older persons and mental health intellectual disability, that have been filled in each of the HSE areas and when will all of the posts be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37862/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1443. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will he confirm that Toghermore House, Tuam, County Galway, will continue in its function as of November 2012, and that all 17 of the beds will remain open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37863/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1444. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the figures for children currently awaiting an orthodontic treatment place with particular reference to counties Louth and Meath. [37867/13]
View answer1445. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the processes undertaken with regard to time frames from initial referrals and sunsequent assessments, guidelines used in determining clinical need, details of various categories of patients on treatment waiting lists in respect of orthodontic treatment [37868/13]
View answer1446. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the current staffing levels in respect of provision of orthodontic treatment for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37869/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1444 to 1446, inclusive, together.
The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. Orthodontic referrals are generally received via the Public Dental Service school screening programme. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines called the Modified Index of Treatment Need. At the time of assessment those with urgent clinical need are prioritised for treatment. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable as it is sometimes necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients with the greatest level of need, i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE. The most recent information regarding assessment and treatment waiting lists relates to the second quarter of 2013. The information is collated by the HSE for the intervals as shown only. Information for treatment waiting times is not broken down by year for waiting times of over 4 years.
|
Waiting time from referral to assessment |
1 - 6 months |
7 - 12 months |
13 - 24 months |
> 2 years |
TOTAL |
|
HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster |
1208 |
1225 |
- |
- |
2433 |
|
HSE West |
602 |
2510 |
90 |
39 |
3241 |
|
HSE South |
1731 |
138 |
- |
- |
1869 |
|
HSE Dublin North East * |
312 |
312 |
- |
- |
624 |
|
TOTAL |
3853 |
4185 |
90 |
39 |
8167 |
*Figures for Dublin North East above includes Louth and Meath. I have asked the HSE to provide the figures for Louth and Meath directly to the Deputy.
|
Waiting time from assessment to commencement of treatment (Grade 4) |
1 - 6 months |
7 - 12 months |
13 - 24 months |
2 - 3 years |
Over 4 years |
TOTAL |
|
HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster |
371 |
403 |
594 |
534 |
15 |
1917 |
|
HSE West |
215 |
705 |
613 |
740 |
29 |
2302 |
|
HSE South |
138 |
91 |
157 |
934 |
103 |
1423 |
|
HSE Dublin North East |
160 |
268 |
429 |
869 |
191 |
1917 |
|
TOTAL |
884 |
1467 |
1793 |
3077 |
338 |
7559 |
Grade 5
|
Waiting time from assessment to commencement of treatment (Grade 5) |
1 - 6 months |
7 - 12 months |
13 - 24 months |
2 - 3 years |
Over 4 years |
TOTAL |
|
HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster |
491 |
343 |
365 |
190 |
1 |
1390 |
|
HSE West |
351 |
430 |
552 |
460 |
32 |
1825 |
|
HSE South |
188 |
872 |
338 |
256 |
88 |
1742 |
|
HSE Dublin North East |
181 |
363 |
435 |
366 |
3 |
1348 |
|
TOTAL |
1211 |
2008 |
1690 |
1272 |
124 |
6305 |
The HSE currently employs approximately 11.5 (WTE) Consultant Orthodontists and 39.5 (WTE) Specialist Orthodontists. The HSE has commissioned an independent review of orthodontic services. The outcome of this review, which is near completion, will give guidance as to what changes will be desirable to provide the best possible model of care delivery, given the current resources available and future demand for services.
