Written Answers Nos. 212-8
212. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has set aside a budget to set up a perinatal hospice in Dublin; his policy proposals in this area; if this issue is on his priority list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49751/13]
View answerPalliative Care For Children with Life-Limiting Conditions in Ireland - A National Policy, published by my Department in March 2010, aims to address the deficits identified in a national needs assessment undertaken in 2005. The document contains 31 recommendations currently being implemented under the aegis of the National Development Committee (a multi-stakeholder representative group), chaired by the HSE.
The national policy provides the framework for the development of services for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. The policy does not recommend the development of a perinatal hospice but rather places significant emphasis on caring for children in their own homes. Thus, I have no plans to develop such a hospice.
A programme of care for children with life-limiting conditions is being jointly funded by the HSE and the Irish Hospice Foundation. The programme includes the appointment in 2011 of the first Paediatric Consultant with a Special Interest in Palliative Care, based in Crumlin. As well as supporting other paediatricians, the Consultant also provides clinical support and advice to maternity hospitals and neonatologists.
The Deputy may be interested to note that the Perinatal Statistics Report published yesterday by the ESRI shows that the perinatal mortality rate has fallen from 8.6 per 1,000 live births and stillbirths in 2003, to 5.9 per 1,000 in 2012. This represents a 31.4% decrease over the decade and a 3.3% decrease since 2011. The Report defined perinatal death as stillbirth and early neonatal deaths up to 7 days.
214. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is necessary for an applicant for a medical card who is in receipt of a farm assist payment to provide a letter from Revenue with the application stating that the applicant is not liable for tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49756/13]
View answerA person making an application for a medical card/GP visit card is subject to an assessment of eligibility in accordance with the Medical Card/GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines. The guidelines include a description of the documentary evidence that an applicant must provide in relation to each income type that an applicant receives. An assessment of means, essential to a determination of an applicant's eligibility to be approved for a medical card or GP visit card, cannot be concluded in the absence of this required proof.
The National Assessment Guidelines state that, for the purposes of an assessment of eligibility for a medical card/GP visit card, a person in receipt of an income from self employment must provide either:
- a Revenue Notice of Assessment as proof of income from this source,
Or
- if Revenue have determined that an income return for tax purposes is not necessary, a Non Liable Notification Letter issued by Revenue, in addition to a statement of the amount of income being received from this source.
A “Non Liable Notification Letter” will typically issue by Revenue in cases where a very low income is being returned from the self-employment activity concerned. Such determination can only be made by Revenue when an income return is made to Revenue and an assessment of tax liability is conducted based on the return.
A self-employed person should complete and submit a Revenue Form 11 in order to make a return of income for assessment by the office of the Revenue Commissioners. For assistance with completing a Revenue Form 11, the local offices of the Revenue Commissioners can be contacted or the website www.revenue.ie accessed.
The HSE local health offices can be contacted by persons for assistance in completing their medical card/GP visit card application form or to have any aspect regarding the process of assessing eligibility for a medical card/GP visit card clarified. In addition, a help and information Callsave phone line 1890 252 919 is available to the public. It is advised that anyone concerned that they may lose their eligibility to a medical card because of difficulty in providing information requested for an assessment review contact the helpline and explain the circumstances.
The HSE will give every assistance to persons contacting their offices, in advising and facilitating them to meet the requirements to have their eligibility fully assessed. Any person, who is the subject of a review assessment, is engaging with the HSE and has undertaken to provide the information requested within an agreed reasonable period of time, will have eligibility extended for the period agreed. This will allow the applicant time to provide the information required and so allow an assessment be conducted based on this information.
215. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if he will lift the recruitment embargo to allow the recruitment of permanent full-time speech and language therapists; if his attention has been drawn to the huge demands for a public speech and language service for children, adolescents and adults; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that so many qualified speech and language therapists trained in this country have been unable to find work here and have been forced to leave the country to gain employment; if his attention has been drawn to the serious and damaging effect this is having on patients and on the future of the profession in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49758/13]
View answerThe Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction.
While overall numbers employed in the Health Service have declined by 10% since 2007, the number of Speech and Language Therapists employed in the period has shown a 14% increase, from 712 to 810 whole-time equivalent posts as of 30 September 2013.
The HSE can make staff appointments once it remains within its overall employment ceiling and has the financial resources to do so. As the recruitment of speech and language therapists is a matter for the HSE in the first instance, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.
216. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will review the Pharmacy Act 2007, which prevents persons who are bankrupt from being registered as pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49768/13]
View answerThe Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is the independent statutory regulator of the pharmacy profession, established by the Pharmacy Act 2007 ("the Act"). It is charged with, and is accountable for, the effective regulation of registered pharmacists and registered retail pharmacy businesses in Ireland, which includes responsibility for supervising compliance with the Act.
Section 14(1)(f) of the Act, provides that a person applying for registration as a pharmacist (including continued registration) to the Council of the PSI must not be an undischarged bankrupt.
Some technical amendments have been sought to the Act including an amendment to section 14(1)(f) to remove the restriction on a person who is an undischarged bankrupt from being registered in the PSI Register of Pharmacists. These amendments are currently being examined and will be considered for inclusion as part of any future amendments to the Act.
217. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will review the ongoing regulatory costs for pharmacists of €400 - €570 on first registration - which each pharmacist and €2,250 - €3,500 on first registration - which each pharmacy must pay each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49769/13]
View answerThe Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is an independent, self-financing statutory body, established by the Pharmacy Act 2007. It is charged with, and is accountable for, the effective regulation of pharmacists and pharmacies in Ireland, including responsibility for supervising compliance with the Act.
Under the Act, the PSI is responsible for the registration of pharmacists, pharmaceutical assistants and pharmacies and other functions relating to the education and training of pharmacists. These functions are funded by fees paid by registrants. The setting of fees for the pharmacy profession is governed by the Act which requires the PSI to make an application for ministerial consent to any fees that it proposes to charge. This process allows for the consideration, and examination, of the Society’s fee proposals by my Department.
In 2008, the PSI commissioned an extensive review of its functions arising from the implementation of the Pharmacy Act 2007. The process included a comparative analysis of comparable international pharmacy regulators and consultation with national stakeholders. Arising from that review the fees for registrants were set by the Council of the PSI with the approval of the then Minister for Health. In 2010, following an internal review of fees and the cost of regulation, the PSI Council sought and received Ministerial approval for a reduction in continued registration fees of approximately 10% for pharmacists, pharmaceutical assistants and pharmacies. The PSI has recently commissioned a new review of fees.
218. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49832/13]
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.
